DHS Encourages Wisconsinites to Take Action to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning
October 20-26 marks National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
During National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (October 20-26), the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is encouraging all Wisconsinites take steps to prevent and detect childhood lead exposure by getting the facts, helping children get tested for lead exposure, and checking homes for lead hazards.
Earlier this year, DHS issued updated lead testing recommendations, calling for all children to be tested for exposure to lead at ages 1 and 2. Children between 3 and 5 years old who have not been previously tested should also undergo screening for lead poisoning. Wisconsin communities with high rates of lead exposure due to the age of housing or other lead hazards may have additional testing recommendations.
Testing has started to increase following historic lows during the pandemic, but there may be many more children with lead poisoning who have not been identified. In 2023, only 40% of 1- and 2-year-olds in Wisconsin received a blood lead test. Over the past decade, nearly 27,000 Wisconsin children under the age of 6 have been poisoned by lead.
“Children younger than 6 are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure because their bodies are still developing and growing rapidly,” said Brian Weaver, DHS Lead Policy Advisor. “No amount of lead exposure is safe for a child. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to affect a child’s IQ, ability to pay attention, and speech development. It is important for everyone to understand the risks of lead exposure and actions they can take to help but an end to childhood lead poisoning in Wisconsin.”
Any child can be lead poisoned, but not all children are at the same risk. Children who live in households at or below the federal poverty level and those who live in housing built before 1978 are at the greatest risk of lead exposure.
DHS encourages parents and caregivers to take action:
- Get the facts: Lead is still a problem in many communities. Learn about lead exposure, lead hazards, and how to protect families and communities on the Lead-Safe Wisconsin webpage.
- Get children tested: A blood test is the only way to find out if a child has lead poisoning. DHS recommends that children receive a blood lead test at age 1 and age 2, and between ages 3 and 5 if they have not been previously tested.
- Get homes tested: Minimize the risk of lead exposure by hiring a certified professional to test homes built before 1978. Contact the local health department or water utility company to find out about testing water. Renters should ask landlords to have homes or apartments tested.
Find information about protecting families and communities from lead exposure and lead-safe homes on the Lead-Safe Wisconsin webpage. Learn about resources available to fix lead hazards on the Find Funding Opportunities to Fix Lead Hazards webpage.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Lead Crisis
- MTEA Statement on Lead Exposure in MPS Buildings - Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association - Apr 30th, 2025
- Statement from Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez on Lead Hazards in MPS Buildings - Sup. Juan Miguel Martinez - Apr 29th, 2025
- MPS Closing Two More Schools For Lead Hazards - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 28th, 2025
- Milwaukee Public Schools Enters New Phase of Lead Cleanup - Milwaukee Public Schools - Apr 28th, 2025
- What To Know and How To Keep Kids Safe From Lead Poisoning - Evan Casey - Apr 25th, 2025
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Senator Tammy Baldwin Urge HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to Reinstate Childhood Lead Poisoning Experts at CDC, Push for Approval of Milwaukee’s Request for Federal Assistance - U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore - Apr 23rd, 2025
- MPS’s Fernwood School to Reopen Following Lead Remediation Work - Milwaukee Public Schools - Apr 22nd, 2025
- Milwaukee School Board May Sue Paint Companies Over Lead Crisis - Evan Casey - Apr 19th, 2025
- Trump Administration Axed Federal Employees Needed for MPS Lead Crisis - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 14th, 2025
- New MPS Superintendent Dumps Beleaguered Facilities Director - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 3rd, 2025
Read more about Lead Crisis here
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