Chester Lead-Free Task Force to test preschoolers for lead exposure this fall
The Chester Lead-Free Task Force is gearing up to offer lead testing at about 20 daycare centers throughout the city this fall. Working in conjunction with the Delaware County Health Department, the Task Force is focused on testing these preschoolers (generally children age 3 and younger) who were not born when the Delaware County Health Department conducted an extensive testing campaign in 2021 and 2022.
Ches-Penn, a partner in the lead-testing initiative, will conduct the testing. Children whose parents provide permission will have a capillary – finger prick- blood test. To be sure the test is accurate, it is done a second time, several weeks after the first finger prick.
Lead exposure typically occurs in children who live in housing built before lead paint was banned in the United States, in 1978. Exposure occurs when children are exposed to lead particles in the air, from chewing on peeling pains (which tastes sweet), and also from drinking water that sits in lead pipes.
Lead poisoning can happen to anyone, but it is the most dangerous for the developing brains and nervous systems of very young children. Even though our bodies can eliminate lead, it cannot repair the damage done by the poisoning lead exposure. This results in developmental delays, learning difficulties and behavioral issues.
Lead poisoning is not reversable. However, the impact can be reduced with interventions and treatment. Most important is stopping the exposure! Testing a child for lead exposure leads health investigators to the source of lead in that child’s environment. Interventions can be done to reduce and even eliminate lead exposure in a child’s living environment.
The 2021-2022 Delaware County Health Department lead exposure testing of 9,438 children from birth to age 16, found that 307 of the children had elevated blood levels. Those children were mostly likely to be found in Upper Darby, Chester, Darby Borough, Yeadon, Lansdowne, Colwyn and Haverford – all communities with high proportions of older stock housing likely containing lead paint.
In addition, African-American children had the highest percentage of elevated BLLs, almost half of those tested, while 18% of white children and 5.46% of Asian children tested had elevated BLLs.
The Task Force has been working all year to publicize its lead-free education program among parents and to provide information and support for those identified with elevated BLLs.
Visit the Chester Lead-Free Task Force Facebook site for information on the project.
Diana Pope and Jodine Mayberry for the Clearinghouse