Lead Screening
Lead poisoning is a serious health issue in children, often in entire communities. Although it is much less common now that lead has been removed from paint, gasoline, and other sources, children are still at risk of lead poisoning, and we still screen children for their risk of lead poisoning and test children who are at risk.
No amount of lead in the body is safe. When children are exposed to lead (through their mouth, even from dust of old paint), their body stores it up. As their exposure continues, the amount in their body just continues to increase.
Low amounts of lead affect brain development, causing learning disabilities, developmental delays, and decreased intelligence. Higher amounts can cause seizures and death. Lead poisoning can be treated once detected.
Who should be tested for lead poisoning and when?
- All children who have any form of Medicaid insurance at 12 and 24 months of age or if they missed one of these screenings (up to 6 years old)
- Children who are at higher risk at any age, usually checked from 6 months through 6 years of age
- Any child or adult with symptoms of lead poisoning
Evaluating children’s risk of lead poisoning
- We ask parents a series of questions to determine if a child is at higher risk of lead poisoning.
- Questions are asked at 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, and at 3, 4, 5 and 6 years of age.
How to tell if your child is at risk
The main risks are:
- Living in a home or visiting a home or daycare that has been determined to be a lead hazard
- A home built before 1960 that is in poor condition or was renovated in the past 6 months
Resources
Georgia Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention
CDC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Healthy Children/American Academy of Pediatrics
- Blood Lead Levels in Children: What Parents Need to Know
- Lead Exposure: Steps to Protect Your Family
- Lead in Tap Water and Household Plumbing: Parent FAQs
- Where We Stand: Lead Screening
References
Curry SJ, Krist AH, Owens DK, et al. Screening for Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children and Pregnant Women: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2019;321(15):1502-1509. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.3326
American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health. Prevention of Childhood Lead Toxicity. Pediatrics. 2016;138(1). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1493
Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Low Level Lead Exposure Harms Children: A Renewed Call for Primary Prevention. Atlanta, GA; 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/ACCLP/Final_Document_030712.pdf.
Hagan JF, Shaw JS, Duncan PM, eds. Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 4th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, 2017.