Two weeks ago, I wrote about the dangers of lead and how lead poisoning can affect children. Today, I am writing to tell you about a lead outreach project that Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County is coordinating with local groups and agencies that will educate a neighborhood in the city of Auburn about the dangers of lead.

Lead poisoning is extremely serious for infants and toddlers and can cause permanent brain damage. At this age children are crawling, teething, and their natural hand-to-mouth behaviors makes it easy for them to ingest lead-contaminated dust.

Children up to 6 years old can also be affected by lead poisoning because the brain and the nervous system are still developing. Lead poisoning affects virtually every system in the body, and often occurs with no visible symptoms. Lead can damage a child's central nervous system, kidneys, and reproductive system. In addition, lead poisoning has been associated with decreased intelligence, impaired neurobehavioral development, decreased stature and growth and impaired hearing. Remember, lead poisoning is preventable.

On Friday, Nov. 14, there will be a lead outreach event organized by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County. Cornell Cooperative Extension's goal is to help parents in Cayuga County protect their children from lead poisoning by providing them with information and resources about lead.

During the lead outreach event, a diverse group including Cayuga County Health Department lead coordinator, BOCES New Visions medical students and BOCES New Visions Environmental students will conduct door to door education in the Orchard Street neighborhood in the City of Auburn. These teams will evaluate the exterior of homes, educate tenants and provide resources on how to address lead hazards.

Prior to this event, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County sent letters to area property owners inviting them to participate in the outreach event and informing them about the dangers of lead to their tenants' children and resources available for fixing lead hazards.

We have targeted the Orchard Street neighborhood to host this event since many of the houses on the street were built before 1978 and some of the residences have been directly affected by the lead issue.

The major source of lead exposure among U.S. children is lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in housing built before 1978.

Even if lead paint is covered over, lead can enter household dust and be ingested by children in normal hand to mouth behaviors.

The most hazardous areas are windows, porches, and doors where friction and impact can create invisible lead dust.

For more information about lead or the lead outreach event, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County at

255-1183.

Renee Jensen is a community educator of Environmental Issues at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County.