Young children tested and identified with elevated blood lead levels in Delaware

Building and sustaining healthy environments is one of government’s core responsibilities to its citizens. All children deserve such environments, no matter where they live, learn and play in our state. The amount of children with elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) has dropped significantly in the past several decades. Despite this extraordinary success, disparities persist as certain vulnerable populations- like children living below the federal poverty level, children living in older housing, non-Hispanic blacks, Mexican Americans, immigrants, and refugees- are disproportionately affected.

The best way to reduce childhood lead poisoning is by focusing on primary prevention, which entails removing lead hazards from the environment before a child is exposed. Early identification is a second-best strategy to reducing impact of environmental lead contaminants to children’s health. Health departments accomplish this using blood lead screening tests. In 1995, the Delaware General Assembly passed the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act which mandates lead screening at or around 12 months of age and expanded the formal screening process in 2010 so that children at high risk for lead exposure can receive additional testing at 24 months of age. To minimize the adverse effects of lead poisoning, it is essential that testing rates increase so no child is left undiagnosed and any child with an EBLL is treated early. 

Building and sustaining healthy environments is one of government’s core responsibilities to its citizens. All children deserve such environments, no matter where they live, learn and play in our state. The amount of children with elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) has dropped significantly in the past several decades. Despite this extraordinary success, disparities persist as certain vulnerable populations- like children living below the federal poverty level, children living in older housing, non-Hispanic blacks, Mexican Americans, immigrants, and refugees- are disproportionately affected.

The best way to reduce childhood lead poisoning is by focusing on primary prevention, which entails removing lead hazards from the environment before a child is exposed. Early identification is a second-best strategy to reducing impact of environmental lead contaminants to children’s health. Health departments accomplish this using blood lead screening tests. In 1995, the Delaware General Assembly passed the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act which mandates lead screening at or around 12 months of age and expanded the formal screening process in 2010 so that children at high risk for lead exposure can receive additional testing at 24 months of age. To minimize the adverse effects of lead poisoning, it is essential that testing rates increase so no child is left undiagnosed and any child with an EBLL is treated early.