Cincinnati -- Parents need to know that older home interior renovations can raise lead levels in children, U.S. researchers said.

The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study of 249 children living in homes built before 1978 -- the year lead-based paints were banned -- showed those living in houses where renovations occurred had higher blood lead levels than those in houses with no renovations.

Researchers using multi-variable analysis found children living through renovation projects had a 12 percent increase in mean blood lead level by age 2 compared with other children.

The researchers noted an association between high lead concentration in the building's existing paint and the child's blood lead level -- for every 10 milligram per square centimeter increase in paint lead concentration, there was a 7.5 percent increase in average blood lead levels.

"Toxic agents such as lead could have long-term effects on children's brain development even as early as when they are fetuses," study lead author Dr. Adam Spanier said in a statement. "If lead poisoning goes undetected and untreated in children, it has the potential to result in a number of neurodevelopmental issues, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning problems."

The findings were presented at the Pediatric Academic Society annual meeting in Honolulu.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.