HARTFORD, Conn.— The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is recognizing National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW), October 25–31, 2026 and advising families to act. This year’s theme, “Keep Kids Safe From Lead,” encourages families to learn about lead hazards in their environment and how to prevent exposure. The national campaign brings together individuals, organizations, industry, and state, tribal, and local governments to reduce childhood exposure to lead through awareness and education.
“Lead poisoning is preventable, and there is no safe level of lead for children. We are asking health care providers and local health departments to help share this vital information and these resources,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. “A child with lead poisoning may not show any visible signs and can look healthy. That is why it is so important for parents to talk to their child’s health care provider about a blood lead test, especially if their child may have been exposed. Children are required to be tested annually between 9 and 35 months of age, the group at highest risk of exposure to lead hazards, and early identification through testing gives them the best opportunity to stay healthy.”
In 2025, Connecticut legislation lowered the blood lead level that triggers a local health department lead inspection from 10 to 5 micrograms per deciliter, ensuring earlier intervention to protect the health and well-being of children across the state.
DPH encourages families to take two simple steps this week to help protect children from lead exposure:
- Get Your Child Tested: A simple blood lead test is the only way to know if a child has lead in their blood, since most children with lead poisoning look and act healthy. Talk to your child’s health care provider to ensure early detection.
- Get Your Home Tested: Identify and address potential lead sources in your home, such as lead-based paint, lead dust, soil, or lead service lines. Lead paint in homes built before 1978 is the most common source of lead exposure for children in Connecticut.
For more information on lead poisoning prevention, testing, and resources, please contact your local health department or visit www.ct.gov/dph/preventlead.
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