News Coverage
Lead levels put area's kids at risk
Published May 3, 2004
Marietta has been targeted as an at-risk location for lead-poisoning among children, yet only 13 percent of all Washington County children from 1 to 5 years old are being tested for lead poisoning.
That's according to a new study by the environmental Working Group that also shows nearly three-fourths of the children who have lead poisoning in the county are not being identified.
"Two things really stand out," said Richard Wiles, senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group.
"One is the failure of HMOs (health maintenance organizations) to test children when they're paid in advance to conduct those tests. And close on its heels is the massive underreporting of the problem and that the efforts of prevention is lacking.
"It's a problem we could fix if we could just pay attention to it," he said.
The study, released May 4, comes as a new Ohio law went into effect April 1 ensuring all Ohio children in at-risk areas are tested for lead poisoning.
The Ohio study has been ongoing for about two years and comes on the heels of a similar study in California.
Also coming up in the next two months are three lead poisoning events designed to raise the awareness of the issue.
The Lead Licensee Seminar takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Athens Ohio State University Extension Office to update citizens and health officials about the change in the state law and lead abatement and clearance.
The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on May 20 at Washington State Community College's Graham Auditorium.
Then from July 18-24, there is a lead poisoning prevention week that is observed across the nation.
The Ohio study indicates nearly two-thirds of the state's 19,000 lead-poisoned children will not be diagnosed.
The study showed that up to 63 Washington County children are at risk for permanent brain damage and don't know it because they haven't been tested.
The potential for children going untested for lead poisoning presents serious health problems, said Vickie Kelly, director of nursing for the Marietta Health Department.
"Their IQs are lower, they have behavioral problems and they have learning problems," Kelly said. "Now, not all of them do, but there have been studies done that have indicated those things."
The new targeted screening law requires all medical care providers to conduct blood lead tests for children who live in high risk ZIP codes designated by the Ohio Department of Health and for those who are likely to have exposure to lead.
Marietta was declared a high risk ZIP code area due to the number of older homes in the city.
The primary source of lead in the environment is lead paint in older homes, particularly those constructed before 1950. It is estimated that lead poisoning costs the state about $230 million each year in medical treatment, special education costs and lost income.
Still, Kelly believes not everyone - even in the health care field - is aware of Ohio law requiring doctors to test children with Medicaid cards.
Kelly believes lead poisoning awareness is higher in Marietta and Washington County than across Ohio because local health officials have been aggressive with lead testing.
Kelly admits testing falls after children turn 2.
"At age 1 more kids are tested, but the percentage drops really bad at being tested at age 2 and that's both statewide and nationally," Kelly said.
The Marietta Health Department has a lead poisoning program that's been ongoing for more than 10 years.
If a child is found to have lead poisoning, the health department makes in-home visits with families to discuss how children may have become lead poisoned, how to lower the lead poisoning in their bodies and how to eliminate the risk factors.
Carolyn Ditchendorf, 35, of 702 Fifth St., went through the education program nearly eight years ago and credits the health department with helping turn the lead poisoning in her then-2-year-old son, Cyrus, around. Cyrus, was detected with lead poisoning while the family was renovating their home.
"We were not aware of all the lead paint issues, but we soon became very aware," Ditchendorf said.
Since then Ditchendorf has been a proponent of increasing awareness and education about lead poisoning.
"Having grown up in that generation where everything was leaded, if you're not aware of it you don't know what precautions to make," Ditchendorf said.
Dangers of lead paint
For young children, there is no known safe level of exposure to lead; even low levels can cause reduced IQ and attention span, learning disabilities, and a wide range of other health effects.
Lead is most dangerous to children under 6, whose brains and nervous systems are still developing and whose outdoor activities and tendency to put things in their mouths can expose them to a disproportionate amount of lead in soil, paint and dust.