Lead poisoning affects children in communities throughout the country; even low levels of lead can harm brain development, and result in learning disabilities and attention problems. The good news is lead poisoning is entirely preventable; we can solve this problem and protect children from lead poisoning once and for all. Last month, LDA convened a group of scientists and health experts to take those messages to Congress.

The group met with U.S. House and Senate offices to share a national strategy for eliminating lead poisoning in children. The experts published their recommendations for eliminating lead exposures in a May 15 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics. Maureen Swanson, LDA’s Healthy Children Project Director, is a contributing author. LDA and partner organizations also held a briefing for Congressional staffers.

The lead experts are part of Project TENDR (Targeting Environmental Neuro-Development Risks), co-directed by Maureen Swanson. Project TENDR is an alliance of scientists, health professionals and advocates, who in July 2016 published a consensus statement on the link between toxic chemicals and children’s neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD, autism and learning disabilities.

Read Project TENDR’s lead recommendations here.