The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has announced a 26% increase in the number of children under age 6 who have been screened for lead exposure statewide, allowing state and local health departments to catch more cases of lead poisoning sooner. This October 19-25, DHS is marking National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week by reminding parents and caregivers that testing children for lead exposure and knowing how to avoid common sources of lead exposure prevent serious health impacts to Wisconsin children.
“No amount of lead exposure is safe for kids, and even the smallest exposure to lead can have serious, long-term consequences impacting kids’ learning capacity, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement,” said Gov. Tony Evers. “That’s why, to kick off the year, I approved an emergency rule to lower Wisconsin’s lead poisoning threshold, making more kids and families eligible for intervention resources, and I’m proud of our work to screen more kids across the state so that we can get these critical resources to folks and families who need them.”
