Squire hopes no other parents have to go through that awful experience, and he urges local families to learn about lead and get their kids tested.
Lead is the top environmental threat to Ohio’s children, and Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County already has helped nearly 160 children this year who were exposed to lead or poisoned by the toxic metal, say local health officials. Most kids who are poisoned by lead were exposed at home.
“Ohio ranks second in the nation for elevated blood lead levels and our children are more than twice as likely to have elevated blood levels compared to the national average,” said Erin Jeffries, president and CEO of Miami Valley Community Action Partnership. “We believe that no child should be poisoned by their home.”
Hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 6 in Ohio are at risk of lead exposure because they live in homes that were built before 1978, say representatives with the Ohio Lead Free Kids Coalition and Ohio Healthy Homes Network.
More than two-thirds of homes in Ohio and nearly three-fourths of housing units in Montgomery County were constructed prior to that year, according to U.S. Census data.
Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County investigates lead cases and assesses potential sources, which can include housing units, child care centers and schools, said Montgomery County Health Commissioner Jennifer Wentzel. If lead is discovered, mitigation steps need to be taken.
Public Health has investigated and assisted with 159 lead cases so far this year. The health department says that 38 children have suffered from lead poisoning, while about 121 children tested positive for elevated lead levels.
The agency investigated and assisted with 136 cases in all of 2024 (36 children poisoned, 100 children with elevated levels).
There is no safe amount of lead for young kids, and the substance can damage developing brains, causing cognitive and behavioral problems including learning disabilities, attention problems and hyperactivity, Wentzel said.
Lead poisoning can result in reading difficulties and studies have found that kids who were sickened are more likely to interact with the juvenile justice system as youth, the adult criminal justice system when they grow up and they are also more likely to end up homeless, said Tim Johnson, a senior policy advocate with the Ohio Poverty Law Center who is a member of the Ohio Lead Free Kids Coalition leadership team.
Lead can be found in dust, soil and some toys, antiques, costume jewelry and items imported from overseas.
But about eight in 10 kids in Ohio with elevated lead levels were exposed at home from lead paint, said Preston Keiffer, pediatrician with Dayton Children’s Pediatrics.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says lead paint can be found in about a quarter of housing units built between 1960 and 1977; 70% of homes built between 1940 and 1959; and 87% of units constructed before 1940.
About half of the housing units in Montgomery County were built before 1966, according to Census data, and one in six homes in the county were constructed before 1940.
A significant share of housing units in other local counties also predate 1940: 30% in Champaign County, 25% in Clark County, 23% in Miami County, 11% in Butler County, 9% in Greene County and 6% in Warren County.
Children should be screened for lead at ages 1 and 2 and up to age 6, especially if they have increased risk factors, like if they live in or visit homes built before 1950 or if they spend time inside older housing that is in poor condition or that has had recent renovations, health officials said.
Homes built before 1978 should be inspected by licensed lead inspectors, officials said, and trained contractors should be used for renovation projects because lead dust is major health hazard.
Squire, who lives in Dayton’s Huffman Historic District, said he felt demoralized and terrified when tests showed his children had elevated lead levels.
He said it took quite a while to finally come to terms with what happened to his family, but he’s so grateful that there are now plenty of resources to help people in similar situations.
“It’s important for our community to talk to each other about this, to raise the level of awareness but then continue walking families through this process because it is very emotional, it is very hard,” he said.
Steps to reduce or prevent lead exposure:
- Inspect and maintain all painted surfaces to prevent paint deterioration.
- Address water damage quickly and completely.
- Keep your home clean and dust-free.
- Clean around painted areas where friction can generate dust, such as doors, windows, and drawers. Wipe these areas with a wet sponge or rag to remove paint chips or dust.
- Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers and toys often.
- Teach children to wipe and remove their shoes and wash hands after playing outdoors
SOURCE: U.S. EPA
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