Omaha's Community Advisory Group (http://www.olscag.com), working in partnership with the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, recently produced an interactive CD, �Kids Run Better Lead Free�. This kids-friendly disk explores the �make-believe� Williams family to educate parents about living safely with lead. According to Brenda Council, Chairperson of the Community Advisory Group, �this interactive CD will be of great value in fighting the health risks of high levels of household lead�.

Lead-poisoning is a major health threat for children. It can decrease IQ, cause learning disabilities and harm hearing. Children who have increased blood lead levels often have reduced attention spans, are hyperactive and show behavior problems. At higher exposures, lead can damage a child's kidneys and central nervous system. It can cause anemia, coma, convulsions and even death. Nearly one million of the nation's children under age six have blood lead levels high enough to damage their capacity to think, concentrate and learn.

Exposure in the home is a primary source of lead poisoning in children. Old lead-based paint and airborne lead particles are the major source. Harmful exposures to lead often result from improperly removing lead-based paint, or from lead dust on painted surfaces. High concentrations of airborne lead in homes usually results from contaminated soil tracked inside and from dust on painted surfaces.

Nonprofit housing groups, health agencies and members of the real estate community will use the �Kids Run Better Lead Free� CD as an education aid. The Community Advisory Group and University of Nebraska at Lincoln plan to share this CD with the Denver HOC and other HUD offices. An online version of the CD is also available on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension's website (http://douglas-sarpy.unl.edu/eh/lead_cd/).