The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aims to stress the importance of screening the highest-risk children for lead poisoning during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Oct. 23-29.
The two major sources of lead poisoning in the U.S. have been from industry.   Airborne lead from leaded gasoline and lead chips and dust from lead-based paint have produced lasting contamination. Lead-based paint was used in many homes before it was banned in 1978 and lead was removed from gasoline in the 1970s.
Since then, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of lead-poisoned children in the U.S.  However, there remain pockets of communities that continue to have lead- poisoned children, primarily as a result of deteriorated paint in older housing.  Benton Harbor is one of those communities. Benton Harbor is second in Michigan for the percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels.

How do kids get lead?  Lead poisoning is harmful to people of all ages, including adults, but young children are at greatest risk.  They put everything in their mouths and their bodies absorb lead more easily.
Peeling, chipping paint and dust generated from the deteriorated paint and outside dirt where the deteriorated paint has settled, are the two main sources of lead poisoning. Certain Indian, Mexican and Middle Eastern cosmetics, candy, folk remedies and glazed pottery can also contain lead. Some children in Berrien County have been found to have high lead levels from these products.

How does lead poisoning affect children?  Lead may cause damage to the brain, lower IQ scores, interfere with growth, harm hearing and may cause behavior/learning difficulties.  At high levels, lead poisoning can cause seizures, coma and death.  Pregnant women can pass lead poisoning to their unborn baby.  Pregnant women should talk to their doctor if they feel they may be at risk of lead exposure in the past or the   present.

How do you know if your child is lead poisoned?  Often a child with lead poisoning will not have signs or symptoms of illness.  The effects of lead may not show until several years later.   A simple blood test ordered by your child’s doctor is the only way to know for sure.   If children live or spend time in homes built before 1970s especially before the 1950s and the house had deteriorating paint or has recently been renovated, talk with your health care provider about this simple lead test. Children should be tested at age one and two years and more often if needed.  Pregnant women can also be tested if they are concerned about their exposure to lead.

Who should be tested?
While a child’s doctor should determine whether a blood lead test is needed, some signs that a child should be tested include:
n Children who live in (or visit often) a house built before 1950
n Children who live in (or visit often) a house built before 1978 that has been remodeled in the past year
n Children who have a sibling or playmate who has lead poisoning
n Children who live with an adult whose work or hobby involves lead (such as plumbing, car repair, furniture refinishing or home renovations)
n Children who may have been exposed to home remedies the contain lead
n Children who have had food or beverages from ceramic containers purchased in other countries including Mexico.
If your child fits into any of these categories, talk to your healthcare provider about a lead test.

What is the health department doing to address lead poisoning?
The health department has records of all children in Berrien County who have tested with high blood lead levels. For children who have tested with a high level, BCHD will provide information to the family including written materials and even home visits to help families find the source of lead in their home and prevent any future exposure.

To increase parents’ awareness of the dangers of lead poisoning and its prevention, BCHD was awarded a grant from the CareSource Foundation to purchase lead prevention educational materials and cleaning supplies to distribute to families in Berrien County who are at highest risk for lead poisoning. During the month of October, the health department is giving every child who visits the office a gift bag with a special bar of soap and nail brush. The bag also includes literature for parents about different ways to prevent lead poisoning in their child including the importance of hand washing.  Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent children from ingesting lead dust.
that can be found inside and outside older homes.
that may have deteriorating lead paint or soil contaminated with lead.
Also as part of the Care Source project, BCHD has cleaning kits and information available for families with children at risk for lead poisoning. Cleaning kits include supplies that assist families in cleaning up lead dust, lead-based paint chips and contaminated soil safely. If you want more information about testing or lead safe cleaning, please call Public Health nursing, 927-5627.

While hand washing and lead safe cleaning techniques will minimize lead exposure in children, the best prevention is removing the source of lead from homes. This is costly, but the Health Department has funding from HUD to help home owners, including landlords, assess for their home for sources of lead and provide assistance with getting rid of lead hazards. If you think your home may qualify for this program, please call 927-5645 for more information or an application.

For more information, contact the Berrien County Health Department at 926-7121 or visit our website at www.bchdmi.org.