Mary Schuermann Kuhlman
26 Oct 2021, 15:13 GMT+10
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There is a heightened effort this week to inform Ohio families about the dangers of a silent poison. Because lead is invisible and the damage it causes is delayed, addressing lead poisoning is tricky.
A recent study found 5% of Ohio kids have elevated blood lead levels, which is more than double the national average.
Dr. Matthew Tien, a pediatrician at MetroHealthSystem and co-chair of the MetroHealthLead Coalition, said even low levels of lead in the body can cause problems with growth, behavior and learning.
"Studies that have been done show that the higher the lead level, the more dramatic effect it can have on lowering IQ," Tien explained. "Obviously, the higher the lead level, the more terrifying. But finding even a level of 'one' is significant. There's no known safe level of lead."
Tien pointed out 40% of high-risk kids in Ohio do not get needed lead blood tests, and noted MetroHealth Hospital improved their rates dramatically in the past year by having children tested during medical appointments, instead of sending families to a lab.
During National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Ohioans are encouraged to have their homes and children tested for lead.
Timothy Johnson, policy associate for the Ohio Poverty Law Center and representative of the Ohio Lead Free Kids Coalition, said kids in Ohio have high levels of lead due to old housing and poverty. He explained two-thirds of houses in Ohio might contain lead.
"You will see issues like this concentrated in some urban centers, mostly in brown and Black neighborhoods that have seen historic neglect," Johnson observed. "But it's in our rural areas to win at Perry Heights, high rates there as well. So this is not just an issue that's concentrated in one part of the state or the other. It's statewide."
The Ohio Lead Free Kids Coalition has created a nine-point action plan for Lead-Free Children by 2030. It includes helping homeowners eliminate lead hazards, researching new ways to protect kids from lead, and improving supports for those exposed to lead.
Reporting by Ohio News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.
Source: Ohio News Connection
Get a daily dose of Cleveland Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Cleveland Star.
More InformationLONDON, U.K.: British oil giant Shell has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire rival oil company BP. The Wall Street Journal...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets closed firmly in positive territory to start the week Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he was halting trade discussions with Canada due to its decision...
LONDON, U.K.: A little-known investment fund based in the United Arab Emirates has emerged as the most prominent public backer of U.S....
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Across the U.S., a growing number of people are taking obesity treatment into their own hands — literally....
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Under pressure from European regulators, Apple has revamped its App Store policies in the EU, introducing...
ABU DHABI, 19th June, 2025 (WAM) -- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has become the first and only research hospital in the UAE to receive...
ABU DHABI, 17th June, 2025 (WAM) -- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of the M42 group, has successfully introduced continuous infusion...
ABU DHABI, 9th June, 2025 (WAM) -- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has successfully performed the UAE's first robotic cytoreductive surgery...
ABU DHABI,16th May, 2025 (WAM) - Oracle Health, Cleveland Clinic, and G42 today announced a strategic partnership to develop a groundbreaking...
ABU DHABI, 6th May, 2025 (WAM) -- PureHealth and its subsidiary SEHA have partnered with the number one US children's hospital, Cincinnati...
Argentinian composer Lalo Schifrin, the genre-blending film and television composer behind the Mission: Impossible, Bullitt, and Cool...