is caused by swallowing or breathing lead-contaminated
substances or by skin contact. Small children may get lead
poisoning by licking, chewing, or eating lead paint on toys,
jewelry, or woodwork such as windowsills. Small children also
may be exposed by breathing, swallowing, or playing in lead-
contaminated dust, soil, or smoke. Although lead poisoning can
sometimes result from a single large dose of lead, it usually is
caused by months or years of exposure. Because lead cannot be
seen, tasted, or smelled, people usually do not know when they
are being exposed. Nearly everyone has some lead in his or her
body. A pregnant woman who is exposed to lead can pass it to her
unborn baby.3 Lead can also be passed to a baby through the
mother's breast milk. its harmful effects were realized, lead
was used in most gasolines, paints, water pipes, food and drink
cans, and many other products. For example, house paint made
before 1950 often contained as much as 50% lead. Paint
manufactured up until 1978 still contained l