- Lead is toxic – especially in children under six years of age and for pregnant women.
- Get your child tested. Get the facts. Get your home tested.
- Lead poisoning is 100% preventable.
- Testing is key to early intervention – only 21.9% of eligible Detroit children were tested in 2021.
- More than 1,000 Detroit children tested in 2021 had elevated blood lead levels.
Oct. 24, 2022 (DETROIT) – The Get the Lead Out Detroit Coalition is raising awareness this week and beyond of the dangers of lead poisoning in children.
Established with the support of the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, the Get the Lead Out Detroit Coalition is committed to protecting Detroit children from being poisoned by lead hazards.
Lead in paint was banned in 1978, but Detroit children are disproportionately affected by lead poisoning since more than 90% of homes in Detroit were built before 1978. Lead can be found inside and outside the home and when lead dust is breathed in or swallowed, it can result in damage to the brain and nervous system, learning and behavior problems, slow growth and development, and hearing and speech problems.
The Coalition encourages Detroit families with children under six years of age to have their children tested every year. Lead poisoning and lead contamination often are difficult to detect especially in the early years while the brain is developing.
“Do you plan on bringing your infant or toddler to their doctor to be tested for lead exposure?” asked Dr. Teresa Holtrop, MD, FAAP, pediatrician and coalition member. “Have you made plans for when and how you will get there? Think about your answers to these questions. You will never regret having had him or her tested sooner rather than later.”
Lead poisoning is detected by analyzing a drop of a child’s blood. Typically, samples are drawn by a finger or heel prick. The process takes a few minutes and can be part of a child’s yearly check-up.
Steps can be taken to protect family members from lead-based paint hazards in the home, such as regularly cleaning with wet or damp sponges or cloths to control dust, washing children’s hands and toys often, and wiping and removing shoes before entering the home.
If you live in a home built before 1978, a certified inspector or risk assessor can be hired to check your home for lead-based paint or lead hazards. If renting, ask your landlord to have your home or apartment tested or give you previous test results.
When doing renovation, repair, or painting jobs in a pre-1978 home, hire a lead-safe certified contractor who is trained in lead-safe work practices (a group of techniques to prevent lead exposure resulting from renovation and repair activities).
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Coalition will unveil a website with details about family resources and upcoming events in the coming months.
To have your child tested contact your doctor or the Detroit Health Department at (313) 876-0133 to make an appointment, lead testing is available every Thursday.
To learn about Detroit resources to help make your home lead safe visit: https://detroitmi.gov/departments/housing-and-revitalization-department/residents/detroit-leadsafe-housing
To learn more about services provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services visit: https://www.michigan.gov/mileadsafe
About Get the Lead Out Detroit Coalition
The Get the Lead Out Detroit Coalition was established with the support of the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation with a purpose of reducing the number of children poisoned by lead hazards in the home by identifying and executing strategies to support lead safe kids and lead safe homes for families.
The fourteen founding partners of the Coalition include: CLEARCorps Detroit; Building Community Value; Detroit Future City; Detroit Health Department; City of Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department; Lakeshore Legal Aid; Wayne State University Center for Urban Studies, De-Lead Education and Advocacy in Detroit; the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, Kids’ Health Connection, DTE Energy Efficiency Assistance Program, Rocket Community Fund, and Enterprise Community Partners.
For more information, members of the public are invited to email the coalition in care of CLEARCorps Detroit at: detroitleadcoalition@gmail.com. Members of the news media are invited to contact Melissa Bunker at (586) 219-0094.