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 fix moisture 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.
- 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.
See
HUD's Healthy
Homes Program Brochure for more information.
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