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
- Milwaukee Health Department Conducts Follow-Up Lead Hazard Assessment at MPS’s Golda Meir Lower Campus - Milwaukee Public Schools - Feb 14th, 2025
- Dangerous Levels of Lead Contamination Found At Three MPS Schools - Jeramey Jannene and Sophie Bolich - Feb 6th, 2025
- As Previewed in 2025 State of the State Address, Gov. Evers Approves DHS Emergency Rule to Strengthen Standards to Prevent Further Hazardous Lead Exposure to Wisconsin Kids - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 3rd, 2025
- Wisconsin Joins Legal Effort to Preserve Tougher Standards for Lead in Water - Erik Gunn - Feb 3rd, 2025
- Attorney General Kaul Joins Multistate Coalition to Defend Lead and Copper Rule Improvements - Wisconsin Department of Justice - Jan 29th, 2025
- Superintendent Jill Underly Proposes Lead Water Removal Program For Schools - Baylor Spears - Nov 15th, 2024
- Milwaukee Adopts New Policy Requesting More Lead Testing For Children - Nick Rommel - Oct 24th, 2024
- EPA Strengthens Standards to Protect Children from Exposure to Lead Paint Dust - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Oct 24th, 2024
- Baldwin Announces $86 Million for Clean and Safe Drinking Water in Wisconsin Through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Oct 23rd, 2024
- DHS Encourages Wisconsinites to Take Action to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Oct 21st, 2024
Read more about Lead Crisis here
Mentioned in This Press Release
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As Previewed in 2025 State of the State Address, Gov. Evers Approves DHS Emergency Rule to Strengthen Standards to Prevent Further Hazardous Lead Exposure to Wisconsin Kids
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