State health officials in Iowa are issuing a call to action for lead (led) poisoning prevention awareness to decrease childhood exposure. Kevin Officer, community health consultant at the Iowa Department of Public Health, says 60- to 70-thousand Iowa kids are tested for lead every year and as many as ten-percent are found to have high lead levels in their bodies. Officer says old houses are part of the problem.

In many parts of the U-S, lead in the water due to old pipes is a problem, but in Iowa, old house paint is usually the main culprit. Iowa is among the top states for pre-1950 housing and many contain lead paint.

This is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week which highlights ways parents can reduce children’s exposure to lead in their home environment and prevent serious health effects and learning disabilities.