A just-released study determined that high levels of lead in children are not linked to race or income, important news since many erroneously consider lead poisoning an inner-city, low-income problem.

The study, conducted by the Tulane School of Public Health, found that nearly two-thirds of all New Orleans homes — whether in low-, middle-, and high-income areas — contain dangerous levels of lead, stemming from lead dust released during extensive renovation and  demolition post-Hurricane Katrina.

This may come as welcome news for parents who have long suspected (and maybe discovered) that a child was poisoned by lead, and want to alert the public to the danger. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than a quarter of a million children are poisoned annually by lead dust. Unfortunately, that number may be far greater since childhood lead testing usually stops after a child’s second birthday, and the greatest damage to a child’s brain occurs through age 6.

Where does lead dust come from? Besides renovation work, opening or closing a window in a home built before 1978 (most homes built before that date contain lead-based paint), can poison a child, causing autism-like symptoms, ADD/ADHD, lower IQs, nervous system problems, learning disabilities, and speech, language and behavior problems.

This is the primary reason the Bust Lead Dust campaign was recently launched. It is an educational initiative to alert consumers about the dangers lead dust

Please check out www.BustLeadDust.com to explore ways you can keep your children safe from toxic lead dust. If you live in a pre-1978 built home and are planning any renovation, even a simple painting job, you need to have your home tested for lead so you and your contractors can follow EPA guidelines for disturbing lead-based paint.

Do not let your child become another lead-poisoned statistic.