Worried about lead? How to reduce exposure risk, find free lead tests

When a child has elevated levels of lead in their blood, parents often have a flurry of questions.

What does the diagnosis mean? Where did the lead come from? What comes next?

In Milwaukee and other cities with older housing stock, lead poisoning remains a health risk and is commonly caused by deteriorating lead paint in homes.

Here’s what parents should know, based on information from the Milwaukee Health Department, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health experts:

What is lead and where is it found?

Lead is a naturally occurring element found in gasoline, paint, pipes, airplane fuel and soil. It is toxic to humans − especially young children − and can damage the brain and nervous system.

The federal government banned consumer use of lead-based paint in 1978, but it is still present in millions of homes across the U.S.

Milwaukee also has tens of thousands of lead water pipes. The city’s utility treats the water to prevent lead from leaching from the pipes and is trying to replace all lead service lines with copper by 2037.

How do I know if my home has lead paint or a lead service line?

Homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint. To check the age of your home in Milwaukee, you can search your address online atmilwaukee.gov/MyMilwaukeeHome.

To check if water enters your home in Milwaukee through a lead pipe, you can go online tomilwaukee.gov/water/LeadPipes/CheckAddress.

What is considered ‘lead poisoning’?

The levels of lead known to be harmful to children have dropped over the years.

In 2012, federal health officials set the “reference value” of a child’s blood-lead level, a measure of the amount of lead in the blood, at 5 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL). Anything higher than this amount was considered lead poisoning.

In 2021, federal officials lowered thereference valuefor children to 3.5 mcg/dL.

The consensus today is that no amount of lead is safe.

What are the symptoms of lead poisoning in children?

Children often do not show any immediate symptoms, or they present similar to the flu. Symptoms can also come weeks to months after the initial exposure.

Children under 6 years old are at the greatest risk because their developing bodies absorb lead more readily, and their brains and nervous systems are more easily damaged.

Even low levels of exposure can affect learning, attention and behavior, making early detection and follow-up critical.

How do I know if my child has lead poisoning?

If you are worried your child has been exposed to lead or could have lead poisoning, a blood test can provide answers.

The first step usually is a finger-prick blood test. These tests are fast but can provide inflated results if lead on the skin’s surface is picked up in the sample.

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A second test in which blood is taken from the child’s vein may be required to confirm the lead level.

Follow-up testing is recommended to track changes over time.

When should children be tested for potential lead exposure?

The Milwaukee Health Department recommends that children be tested for lead poisoning at ages 12 months, 18 months and 24 months, and annually through age 5.

Health providers say it’s critical to advocate for yourself and your children. Ask for a blood test even if your child’s doctor does not proactively offer one.

“Patient advocacy and looking out for yourself in those situations is the most important thing you could do,” said Sheldon Wasserman, a Milwaukee County Board member and OB-GYN.

“A mother who is at all worried about lead has to bring it to their OB-GYN, or their family practitioner,” he added. “Saying, ‘I live in a house with lead pipes. We have some lead exposure, and I'm worried, can you draw a blood test?’”

What can I expect the Milwaukee Health Department to do if my child is lead-poisoned?

If you live in Milwaukee and your child has been tested for lead, the Health Department will be notified of the result.

The department typically provides the most resources to the children with the highest blood lead levels.

Children with high blood-lead levels should follow up with their health care provider for evaluation and treatment. For very high levels, that could include chelation therapy — a medical procedure to remove lead from the body — and hospitalization.

How can parents reduce the risk of lead exposure?

Parents can try to reduce potential lead exposure at home.

Health officials recommend the following:

• Use a damp cloth to wipe windowsills.

• Mop floors with a bucket of soap and water.

• Avoid creating lead-based paint dust during repairs and construction projects.

• Cover chipping or peeling paint.

HEPA vacuums— a specialized vacuum cleaner with a filter system — can also be used to avoid spreading lead dust as far and wide as a regular vacuum.

Research has found that a diet rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C can help reduce lead absorption in the body. Although a good diet can help, it won’t completely wipe away lead effects.

How do I remove lead from my home?

After a positive lead test, health officials may recommend that parents and guardians remove the lead source from the child’s environment, but not without taking the proper precautions.

It is important not to dive in and try to remove lead paint without learning how to do so properly. Doing so can make the problem worse. Contact lead-certified construction crews.

If your Milwaukee home was built during or before 1978, you may be eligible for the LeadHazard Reduction Program. The program offers lead abatement services up to $40,000.

Free lead testing is available in Milwaukee

Currently scheduled lead testing clinics for children are available at the following locations and times:

• MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary, 2461 W. Center St. − From April through September, testing by Children's Wisconsin for children up to 10 years old is available every second and fourth Saturday of the month. From October through March, it is available the second Saturday of every month. It takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome before 2:10 p.m.

• Cooking with COLE, Hephatha Lutheran Church, 1720 W. Locust St. − Testing by Children's Wisconsin typically takes place during the second cooking class of the month. So far, this summer's cooking classes are scheduled for May 11, May 25, June 8, June 22, July 6 and July 20. Contact Shyquetta McElroy with any questions at 262-420-3799.

• Planned Parenthood, 5380 W. Fond du Lac Ave. − Annual event will take place Sept. 18 from 3-6 p.m. Testing is conducted by Children's Wisconsin.

• Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, Community Outreach Program, 1032 S. 16th St. (formerly Cesar Chavez Drive) − Call 414-897-5594 to schedule an appointment for children up to 6 years old. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Alison Dirr of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:How to reduce lead exposure risk, find free lead tests in Milwaukee