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Healthy Homes For Healthy Families
WASHINGTON - Everyone needs a healthy home and some of the most serious health problems for children start in their home. But making our homes healthy can be as easy as taking "Seven Steps to a Healthy Home." There are special reasons to think about children:
Children's bodies are still growing.
For their size, children eat more food, drink more water and breathe more air than adults.
Children play and crawl on the ground and put their fingers into their mouths.
Children depend on adults to make their homes safe.
Does someone in your home suffer from allergies or asthma? Asthma and allergies are controllable by learning how to clean and what to avoid. Common household causes to watch for are mold, carbon monoxide, dust, cleaning products and tobacco smoke.
Should you be concerned about mold? Mold produces spores, tiny flecks, that float in the air.
When you breathe, these spores get into your lungs and can cause health problems.
Mold grows quickly, so fixmoisture problems in your home right away.
Dry or throw away anything (carpeting, etc.) that has been soaked.
Repair leaking roofs. Vent your dryer to the outside.
Install a vent in your bathroom.
Can your children be poisoned by lead in your home? Do you live in an older home? Was your home built before 1978? Homes built before 1950 are most likely to have lead paint. Is there peeling or chipping paint in your home? Some house paint and water pipes contain lead. Lead poisoning can cause problems with learning, growth and behavior. Young children put their hands and lots of other things in their mouths, so they can easily eat dust or paint chips.
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