The Burlington County Health Department and Virtua Community Nursing Services will be conducting lead screenings for children ages 13 months to less than 72 months each week during the month of April.
“Striving to increase screening rates, our Virtua Health partners have scheduled additional opportunities for families to have their children screened for elevated blood lead levels. High lead levels negatively impact the developing brain and raise the risk of learning problems, behavioral problems and mental illness,” said Burlington County Health Department Director Dr. Herb Conaway. “Early identification of lead toxicity means more timely intervention to prevent the devastating, life-long effects of lead exposure. Let’s get our children screened.”
The CDC estimates that at least 4 million US households have children living in them that are being exposed to high levels of lead, and approximately half a million US children age 1-5 years have blood lead levels above 5 μg/dl, the reference level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated. The primary exposure to lead in children in the United States is through lead-based paint, but unknown to many, lead is also in many products, such as makeup, toys, jewelry, zippers, and imported ceramics (plates, bowls, mugs).
The child lead screenings will take place at the Burlington County Health Department, 15 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton, NJ 08060. The dates and times for the walk-in screenings are as follows:
- Monday, April 1, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
- Tuesday, April 2, 2019 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 8, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, April 9, 2019 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 15, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
- Monday, April 22, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
- Tuesday, April 23, 2019 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 29, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
- Tuesday, April 30, 2019 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
There will also be a community screening at the Carslake Community Center, 207 Crosswicks St. Bordentown, NJ 08505 on Monday, April 15, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and at the Bordentown Township Senior Center, 3 Municipal Dr. Bordentown, NJ 08505 on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 from 12:00 a.m. to noon.
Appointments also available upon request by calling 609-914-8550.
For questions about lead in the home, call the national hotline 1-800-424-LEAD (5323). Other resources include the Southern Regional Lead and Healthy Homes Coalition at 856-665-6000, the Burlington County Health Department Lead Program at 609-265-5515, and the state of New Jersey Lead Safe program https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/offices/leadsafe.html.