Lead Alert Project Brings State Health Department Officials To Edina, MO on January 17

The Department of Health and Senior Service’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (DHSS/CLPPP) and the Knox County Health Department are participating in a community-wide door-to-door campaign to raise awareness of blood lead testing children less than 72 months of age.  DHSS/CLPPP personnel wearing Health jackets will be placing red bags with lead information packets on doors in Edina, Missouri on January 17, 2019.  Lead information packets will also be available at the County Health Department.

Today at least 4 million households have children living in them that are being exposed to high levels of lead. There are approximately half a million U.S. children ages 1-5 with blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL), the reference level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated.

No safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Lead exposure can affect nearly every system in the body. Because lead exposure often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized. CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is committed to the Healthy People 2020 goals of eliminating blood lead levels ≥ 10 µg/dL and differences in average risk based on race and social class as public health concerns.

All children 1-6 years old in Knox County should be tested for lead exposure.  The packets being delivered door to door in Edina, MO on January 17, 2019 by the Jefferson City State Lead Program will be made available to those in outlying areas by the Knox County Health Department on an ongoing basis.  If you have more questions about lead and how to have your child tested, call the Knox County Health Department at 660.3967.3396.