INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) highlights the need for all Hoosier children younger than age 7 to be screened for lead exposure during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, recognized Oct. 22-28.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, House Enrolled Act 1313 requires that all Indiana healthcare providers determine whether children age 6 and younger have been tested for lead poisoning and to offer screening. Through August 2023, there has been a 21% increase in unique children tested compared to the same period in 2022 and a 393% overall increase in confirmed cases of elevated blood lead levels. This has led to 81.9% more children receiving resources and support from lead case managers than in all of 2022.
“Lead poisoning can look like a lot of other things like attention deficit disorder, ADHD or even autism because it doesn’t present in a specific way,†said Paul Krievins, director of the Indiana Department of Health Lead and Healthy Homes Division. “Testing is critical to identifying and removing sources of lead and ensuring children exposed to lead receive needed care and treatment.â€
Data show that no amount of lead in the blood is safe, and children age 6 and younger are most vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure because their bodies use the toxic lead in brain and bone development. Young children are also more likely to be exposed to lead through placing their hands which may be contaminated by lead dust into their mouths. Lead dust often originates from deteriorated lead-based paint in older homes, but lead can occur naturally in soil and can be found in drinking water fed through lead pipes. Signs of lead exposure can include damage to the brain and nervous system, learning and behavior problems, developmental delays and hearing and speech problems.
