New Report Shows Decreases in Young Children Who Received Blood Lead Level Testing During COVID-19
A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report shows that many of Wisconsin children missed recommended blood lead testing during COVID-19. The number of Wisconsin children tested for elevated blood lead levels went down by 75% in April 2020, compared to April 2019.
There's no safe level of lead exposure in children. Learn more about why it's important to test your child.
NEW! Tribal Lead Curriculum
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the Lead Awareness in Indian Country: Keeping our Children Healthy! curriculum to provide resources to reduce childhood lead exposure in communities. You can find more information on EPA’s website.
Lead Poisoning is Preventable
Lead damages the brain and other body systems. Lead can hurt anyone, but kids under age 6 are most vulnerable, and the damage can last a lifetime.
Fortunately, lead poisoning is 100% preventable. It's usually caused by swallowing or breathing in dust from lead-based paint in older homes. We can protect kids by making sure the homes they live and play in are free from lead dust. Learn more below.
- What is lead poisoning?
- Where is lead commonly found in Wisconsin?
- Who is at risk?
- Effects of lead
- Prevent lead poisoning
- Get educational materials about lead
- Test your child for lead
- Check and maintain your home
- Find a certified lead renovation company
- Report unsafe lead or asbestos work
- Before you buy or rent a home built before 1978
- Learn about other emerging sources of lead
- Learn about screening and testing for lead
- Intervention at the clinic level
- Monitor lead levels
- Coordinate care with public health
- Training and certification to work with lead-based paint
- Wisconsin's Lead-Safe Renovation Rule
- Become a lead-certified individual or company
- Certification requirements for lead-based paint activities
- Find a lead-certified company to fix hazards
- Hire a lead investigation company to identify lead hazards
- Learn more about the Lead-Safe Homes Program
- Find other funds to fix lead hazards
- Understand what working "lead-safe" looks like
- Locate a training class
- Find a state lead exam location
- Find a Wisconsin-accredited training provider
- Watch "hands-on" skills training
- Find forms and publications
