Lead Poisoning

Did you know...

According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development:

• 24 million homes in the US have peeling or chipping lead-based paint or high levels of lead in dust
• 1 out of every 40 children in the US has too much lead in their bodies
• Dust from lead-based paint is the biggest threat to young children
  

Lead is a metal that has been used for thousands of years to make many different products. Children can be exposed to lead in air, food and drinking water, and by coming into contact with different products. When a child has too much lead in their system, they don't look sick, but they can have many problems. Some examples of problems include trouble paying attention or concentrating, having stomachaches or headaches, feeling tired frequently, trouble with coordination, or showing aggressive behavior. Children with very high lead levels may have severe brain damage or could even die.

Where Lead is Found

Paint made before 1978 is the most common source of childhood lead poisoning. Many other products may contain lead, such as:

• Soil or dirt where you live, or near a factory or auto shop
• The pipes in some older homes
• Candy and candy wrappers made outside of the U.S.
• Some handmade pottery
• Cast iron and metal pots made outside of the U.S.
• Small toys made outside of the U.S.
• Azarcon, greta and other powders used in home remedies (Note: It is important to check with your doctor before giving your child any medicine or home remedies.)

Testing for Lead Poisoning

CCHP follows the State of Wisconsin’s Universal Blood Lead Screening Recommendations.

The current recommendations include:

• Every child should have a blood lead test at age 1, and another one at age 2.
• Any child between ages 3 to 5 who hasn’t had a blood lead test before should have one now.
  

Do you live in the city of Milwaukee? Ask your child’s doctor about additional blood lead tests recommended for your child.

In addition, any child under 17 years of age can be tested if:

• The child’s parent or guardian expresses a concern about lead exposure, or asks for the child to be tested for lead poisoning.
• The child’s health care provider becomes aware of a possible lead exposure for the child.
• The child is a newly arrived refugee. The child should have a blood lead test upon arrival, and another one 3-6 months after the first test.

Call your child’s doctor to discuss when your child should have their next blood lead level checked. The blood test for lead exposure can be as simple as a quick finger-prick in your child’s doctor’s office. Most children in the US between 1 through 5 years of age have blood lead levels below 3.5μg/dL (micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood). If the level of lead in your child's blood is too high (above 3.5μg/dL), your local health department office will contact you or visit your home to help you find the source of the lead and help you fix the problem.

Did you know? CCHP uses the Wisconsin Blood Lead Registry to check your child’s blood lead testing history. This online tool allows us to get weekly updates on the blood lead tests performed for our members at all locations across Wisconsin, including:

• Doctor’s offices and clinics
• Local health department offices
• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) sites
• Head Start program locations

There are several things you can do to help prevent lead poisoning in children. Wash your child's hands and face often, especially if they are teething, as small children tend to put everything in their mouths. 

Use cold water instead of hot, to make infant formula and for cooking. Let the cold water run for at least one minute before using it for cooking or for drinking. This will help flush out any lead that may come from the pipes.

Eating low-fat foods and foods high in iron and calcium can protect a child from lead poisoning. Some examples of iron and calcium-rich foods include milk, yogurt, cheese, iron-fortified cereals, eggs, beans, raisins, green leafy vegetables, spinach, collard greens, fruits, whole grains and lean meats.

Contact your child’s doctor if you have questions. If need to find a doctor for your child(ren), and they are:

• Enrolled in BadgerCare Plus, contact Customer Service at 1-800-482-8010
• Enrolled in Care4Kids, contact Customer Service at 1-855-371-8104
• Enrolled in Individual and Family Plans, contact Customer Service at 1-844-201-4672