Wayne County begins testing children for lead at Health Centers

Wayne County Executive Robert A. Ficano announced Tuesday, March 2, 2004 that the Department of Public Health will test children between the ages of six months and six years for elevated blood lead levels at health centers in Dearborn, Taylor, Lincoln Park, Sumpter and Wayne.

The testing is part of the County's expanded lead prevention program, which is making free lead testing and screening services available to all children who are at increased risk for lead poisoning in Wayne County.

"Lead poisoning poses a significant threat to the health and development of our children. Through this program, we'll be able to reach thousands of children and their families and actually prevent lead poisoning in the first place," said Ficano.

Currently, the Health Department provides on-going lead prevention activities through its nursing staff and its division of Environmental Health. Nurses provide lead prevention education services to families with children with elevated blood lead levels between 10 to 19 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood [ug/dL]. Nurses give a complete health and developmental assessment to children with a blood lead level of 20 or greater. Environmentalists make home visits with these families for the purpose of identifying potential hazards and providing information on lead abatement options for the home. The homes are re-inspected after lead control activities have been implemented to assure a safe home environment.

Under the new lead testing program, which starts immediately, Wayne County is providing on-demand lead testing at all five of county health centers to WIC enrollees, health department clients, and others that are interested in receiving a lead blood test. The Health Department is also partnering with Head Start and other community groups interested in receiving testing services.

Anahid Kulwicki, Public Health Director for the Wayne County Department of Public Health said the County can now offer the expanded program because two county nurses received specialized training to become certified lead inspectors and assess the risks for lead poisoning.

"These nurses are now capable of performing dust sampling activities when making home visits to provide lead prevention education," Kulwicki said. "Our expanded lead prevention program allows us to reach more children and families. In the past, only about nine percent of the children aged six and under who lived in the service area for the Wayne County Health Department were tested. Our program increases testing significantly."

A lead-poisoned child may seem healthy or have any of these signs: upset stomach; tiredness; loss of appetite; constipation; hearing problems; weight loss; hyperactivity; irritability and difficulty sleeping.

The major source of lead exposure is lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in deteriorating buildings. The dust and paint chips get on children's hands, toys and pacifiers. Because lead paint tastes sweet, children will often chew on painted surfaces like windowsills. Lead-based paints were banned for use in housing in 1978. Approximately 83 percent of the housing stock in Wayne County, excluding Detroit, was built before 1978.
Children living in older buildings are most at-risk. Health officials recommend that at-risk children get tested for lead exposure at the age of six months. Children who are not at risk for lead exposure should be tested for the first time at the age of one year, and again at age two. Also, pregnant women should be tested for lead. A simple blood test by a health care professional can determine children's lead levels.

In 2003, state health officials confirmed 3,141 children under six years old with elevated blood level, but estimated that as many as 14,000 children were lead poisoned, including 6,800 in Wayne County.

The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 434,000 U.S. children between the ages of 1 and 5 had elevated blood lead levels in 2002, the most recent year national figures are available.
Lead testing and screening services are available at all Wayne County Health Centers. Their locations are:

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