New Lead Poisoning Prevention Regulations in Maryland
- jackiferko
- May 11, 2016
- 2 min read
Maryland is revising its current regulations and procedures for lead testing to reduce childhood lead poisoning. Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation for increased action for children with high blood lead level, Maryland has issued new guidance for health care providers regarding who needs to be tested and what follow up action is needed based on the test result. What is Lead Poisoning?
Lead poisoning affects many children younger than 6 years old in Maryland. Lead is often a home health hazard that can harm a child’s brain, causing lifelong learning and behavior problems. The symptoms of lead poisoning are not always easy to detect, but its effects are long-lasting.
Lead dust in the home is caused by chipping, peeling, flaking or deteriorating lead-based paint and can exist in even the cleanest of homes. Lead can also be found in toys, jewelry, and other consumer products and may be brought home from some jobs.
Lead is a metal that can be toxic when swallowed or inhaled into the body. Children are most vulnerable from in the womb until age six. But all children at any age can be affected by lead poisoning. Dust from lead paint continues to be the number one source of childhood lead poisoning. It can cause delays in growth and development, behavioral problems and learning disabilities.
While the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels in children in Maryland has declined dramatically over the years, there are still children with persistently elevated blood lead levels from previous exposures and children who are newly exposed to lead every year. It is one of the most important environmental problems for children in Maryland.
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