Since the Flint water crisis made its way into
national headlines, lead screening and testing has become of high concern,
especially testing among young children who, as you know, are especially
vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure. You’ve heard about the symptoms—hyperactivity,
decreased IQ, insomnia, fatigue—the list goes on.
Yet, despite this increased concern, a study
conducted by the Public Health Institute of California Assessing Child Lead Poisoning Case Ascertainment in the United States between 1999 and 2010 found that in some places nearly 80% of poisoned children were
unidentified. Nationally, 607,000/944,000 (64%) cases were reported to the CDC.
This means the other 36% of children went undetected, with many of the reported
coming from areas in the Midwest and Northeast. Not good with percentages? Here is a graphic to help.
Also, according to another study conducted by Reuters, cities in some states like Wisconsin and Missouri had a poisoning rate higher than that of Flint’s.
What Accounts For The Number of Children Going
Untested?
To help wrap our heads around this issue, here
is a list, though not an extensive one, to help answer this questions (for more
information, you can take a look here
and here).
- Low-income children covered by Medicaid are required to
be tested, but research has shown compliance with such a requirement is
low. As of April of this year according to the Michigan
Medicaid Blood Lead Testing Report, statewide, 66% of children are tested
at or on their 2nd birthday and 74% for 3 year olds. Take a look at the full report.
- Outside of Medicaid, there are few—if any—state
recommendations for blood lead testing made available to parents
(Arkansas, Montana, North and South Dakota, and Wyoming). This
creates confusion and leaves parents—like some of you—with many unanswered
questions. How are you to know when, how, or where to get your child(ren)
tested if such information is not accessible to you?
- States also use confusing terminology within their
guidelines that makes it difficult for even medical professionals to know
when testing a child is required. Put it simply, the wording is
confusing. Some words gives the impression that testing should take place,
while others use words like shall make it clear testing is mandatory.
- Only 10 states plus the District of Columbia requires
universal screening. With most of these states
require testing for children between the ages of 1 and 2. Michigan is not
one of them.
- Some of those states with universal screening have
differing requirements. Age at which testing takes
place, areas where testing is required, and the number of times a child is
tested are some of these differing requirements.
Should your child or grandchild be tested for lead?
A good place to start is by educating yourself and talking with
your pediatrician.
