County begins measures to halt lead contamination

By: 
MEGAN LINSKI

One of many homes in Michigan with high levels of lead was identified by the state, which released the above photo. Photo submitted.

Nine Lenawee County homes have been selected by the Lenawee County Health Department (LCHD) to receive inspections to prevent negative lead effects in children. The homes are scattered throughout the communities of Blissfield, Onsted, Morenci, Adrian, Britton and Tecumseh.

LCHD received a $15,000 grant from the state to begin implementing the lead program. The grant money is used to organize a visit to a home with a Lenawee County child who has a lead level of five to 14 micrograms in their blood. Visits are also organized with pregnant women who live in homes that have lead. The department observes the home to identify areas that are exposing the child to lead, offers nutritional tips that will help a child’s development and cleaning techniques to negate the effects of lead. A cleaning kit is given to every family, along with instructions on proper ways to clean the home for lead.

Children come in contact with lead when they ingest paint chips, either by accident or out of curiosity. “The paint chips are sweet tasting, like candy for them,” Deidre Reed, director of nursing at LCHD said. “They also play on the floor and put their hands in their mouth afterwards, eating the dust, so it’s really important to clean constantly.”

Pregnant women can inhale or ingest the lead dust by accident through the air. Most homes that pose a threat for lead were built before 1978, when lead was still used in construction projects. “This being a very historical area, many of the homes still have lead based paint underneath other layers of paint or wallpaper,” Reed said. Lead can be covered, but the best way to stop the negative effects of lead is to have it removed entirely, Reed said. “The problems are long lasting. Once you have these medical issues, they can’t be fixed. There’s no cure,” Reed said.

High levels of lead result in cognitive problems in the brain for young children, causing them to develop Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or other chronic conditions. “Lead causes long lasting effects, and we see their development drastically altered because of it,” Reed said.

Reed said lead in the water is not an immediate concern, even with homes that may contain lead pipes, because the water throughout the county has been effectively treated. “We know there’s lead pipes that remain in the area, but we don’t have a problem like Flint,” Reed said. “Our water has been inspected and is treated with phosphate.”

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Tecumseh Herald

 

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