A reminder is coming from the Washtenaw County Health Department about the importance of lead testing for children under six and pregnant women who live in certain types of housing.
The Washtenaw County Health Departmentsays those in most jeopardy of suffering lead poisoning are children under six who live in a home built before 1978 when lead-based paint was common.
Pregnant women in those homes are also at risk.
Jane Nickert, director of nursing at the health department, says typically the ingesting of lead happens when a child touches lead paint dust or lead-filled soil and then puts their hand in their mouth. Unfortunately, she says there are really no signs at the time of the poisoning. Symptoms show up years later.
"I wish it came with big red bumps, but it doesn’t. So, a child who is poisoned at two years of age may see in kindergarten or first grade that they’re having some learning difficulties."
The Washtenaw County Health Department offers free lead testing for children up to six years with Medicaid or who are uninsured.
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