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Meriden Health & Human Services Department News
Web Site:
http://www.meridenhealth.com
165 Miller St.,
Meriden, CT 06450
Tel: (203) 630-4226
Fax: (203) 639-0039
MDHHS is committed to improving the quality of life for all it serves through the promotion of health, prevention of disease, and by assuring a safe and clean environment.
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The Importance of Lead Screening
March 12, 2014
This April, the Meriden Health Department encourages you to educate yourself and your family about the dangers of lead. Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth's crust. It is most commonly found in homes that were built before 1978. Other than paint, lead can also be found in the air, soil, dust, and drinking water. Lead can be very harmful to children and pregnant women if exposed. Exposure to lead can cause a lot of health issues such as growth problems, hearing loss, and learning problems. Even though lead can be harmful, a lot of people who are exposed, mainly children, do not show any signs of lead poisoning.In United States, all children ages one and two must get a lead test. Recently, the Board of Education in Meriden has required that children get a lead test before the start of kindergarten. Ideally, no amount of lead should be found in the body. But, action is taken when a test result is above 5 ug/mL; a child is thought to have lead toxicity when a test result is 20 ug/mL or higher. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2008 there were 1,100 confirmed lead cases in state of Connecticut. Yet according to the Connecticut Commission on Children, only 52.2% of children ages one and two are tested for lead poisoning in the state. Despite nationwide and state efforts, lead continues to be the most common public health problem in children. In order to reduce the risk of lead poisoning, here are some tips to help prevent both children and adults from being exposed: - Routinely check and maintain all painted surfaces to prevent chipping and peeling. Kids tend to chew on lead painted surfaces because they taste sweet; - Keep your home clean and dust fre; - Do not let your child play outside in the dirt; - Wash your child's hands and toysoften; - Teach children and others to take off their shoes, and wash their hands for about 15 to 30 seconds after coming in from outdoors. One way to make it fun is to sing a song with kids such as "Happy Birthday" or "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" as they are washing their hands; - Use cold water to prepare all foods and drinks. Let the water run in the sink for about 1 to 2 minutes before using; - Eat a healthy diet, including snacks. Eating healthy can reduce lead in the body.
The Meriden Health Department offers free lead testing for children. Nurses are available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. If you are interested, please call to make an appointment. Please call (203)-630-4234, or visit our website for more information. This article was written by: Nicole Sinnott, Public Health/Nursing Intern, Southern CT State University.
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