National experts in education, child care and children’s health issue joint call to get lead out of schools and child care facilities, which enroll more than 66 million children in the U.S.

The report, “Eliminating Lead Risks in Schools and Child Care Facilities,” outlines strategies to ensure lead-free learning environments and prevent risks to significant numbers of children across the country. The report is the result of a workshop convened by the Learning Disabilities Association of America, Children’s Environmental Health Network and Healthy Schools Network.

“Lead has no place in learning environments. Even low levels of lead are linked to learning disabilities, attention problems and IQ deficits,” said Maureen Swanson, Healthy Children Project Director, Learning Disabilities Association of America. “Getting lead out of schools and child care facilities is doable and will protect children where they spend hours each day learning, playing and growing.”

Workshop participants included representatives of the American Federation of Teachers, National Association of School Nurses, the School Superintendents Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association of Family Child Care, National Association for the Education of Young Children, Child Care Aware of America, American Public Health Association, National Medical Association, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, and several federal agencies, along with organizations working to address lead in paint, water, building materials and products.

Resources:

Click here for the entire Press Release.

Full Report – Click on Image to Read.

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Click here for an article in the Journal of American Medicine, based on Project Tendr’s recommendations, on “Establishing and Achieving National Goals for Preventing Lead Toxicity and Exposure in Children.”

Click here for More on Project Tendr and their consensus statement.