NEW YORK (AP) -- Cases of child lead poisonings declined in New York City last year, continuing a 12-year trend.
The city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene says that in2007, there were 1,970 cases of lead poisoning in children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. That's down from more than 19,000 in 1995.
The department said Wednesday that most of the cases were in Brooklyn, followed by Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island.
Lead poisoning, which can cause behavior and learning problems, is caused by the ingestion of lead from things like peeling, lead-based paint.
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