Editorial

Lead testing, precautions are vital steps

A good deal of attention has been focused recently on children with high levels of lead in their bloodstreams, mainly in or near Herculaneum, Mo., on the Mississippi River south of St. Louis. Herculaneum is the home of Doe Run Co.'s lead smelter. Last year, 67 children under age 6 were tested, with 30 of those children showing elevated lead levels -- nearly six times the state average.

The state average, however, is based on a small sampling of young children. The most recent report from the Missouri Department of Health shows that only 14 percent of all children under age 6 were screened for lead exposure. Screenings aren't mandatory, except for Medicaid recipients. Some doctors routinely do the screenings, while others don't.

The legislature last year passed a law that requires more screenings, but the testing program isn't expected to be in place until the end of this year. The Cape Girardeau Public Health Center already has begun a major initiative by offering free screenings to every child under age 6 served by the department's clinic.

Screenings in young children are considered crucial, because early detection allows for treatment that can avoid long-term physical, mental and behavioral problems.

Although areas where lead mining and smelting exist or once were major industries -- mainly around Farmington, Mo. -- have been the center of concerns about lead poisoning, the fact remains that children everywhere are at risk from other factors such as lead-based paint that is fairly common in older homes. Even in Cape Girardeau County, 10.7 percent of the children tested showed high levels of lead in their blood. But only 103 children -- just 2 percent of those under age 6 -- were tested.

Charlotte Craig, director of the county's public health center, says children "can become well-functioning adults even if they were lead-poisoned when they were small." But early detection is the key.

In addition, there are some simple things that can be done to prevent lead contamination such as frequent hand washing, keeping homes relatively dust free and clean of paint chips and making sure children have a calcium-rich diet.

Children between ages 1 and 3 are usually most at risk for lead poisoning, mainly because they put their hands in their mouths a lot.

The potential for serious problems from lead poisoning is real throughout Missouri. Through a combination of more testing and more precautions at home, the threat can be reduced significantly. The local health center's proactive testing and more education of parents of young children are steps in the right direction.

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