Could Lead Be Poisoning Your Child? Lead Poisoning Public Health Childhood lead poisoning is still considered the most preventable environmental disease of young children. In 2002, an estimated 890,000 U.S. children had elevated blood lead levels. This poster from the Vermont Department of Health in the 1990s identifies one of the most insidious features of child lead poisoning--often times it is undetectable until damage has already been done. Featuring an illustration of an apparently healthy and happy child playing with a toy truck, the tension between the image and text reflects the illusory nature of lead poisoning itself. As the viewer might think the poster is about a healthy child, so might the parent think his or her child is healthy, based on appearances. The message is that in each case the child may be sick without any external symptoms. A simple blood test is promoted in order to prevent a lifetime spoiled by the irreversible damage caused by lead poisoning. Vermont. Department of Health, [ca. 1995] The Vermont Department of Health, [ca. 1995] The History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection Vermont. Department of Health The Vermont Department of Health Posters Slides (photographs) Archival Materials Still Image 1 pages nlm:nlmuid-101584655X38-img 101584655X38 http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101584655X38 Profiles ID: VCBBCW English Profiles in Science