Home Administrative Billing & Reimbursement BlueCard® Health and Wellness Medical PEAR portal Pharmacy Products Quality Management

The importance of lead screening and lead safety

November 30, 2012

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 500,000 U.S. children ages 1 to 5 have lead levels greater than 5 micrograms per deciliter (?g/dL) of blood.1 Problems that can be attributed to even a small amount of lead in the blood include learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, decreased muscle and bone growth, as well as behavioral problems.2 To help raise awareness of the importance of lead screenings, IBC is educating the parents and guardians of children ages 2 and older for whom there is no record of a lead screening. Parents will receive information in the mail regarding the importance of lead screening and lead safety, and they will be encouraged to discuss screening and education with their child?s health care provider.

Lead screening recommendations

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), children?s blood levels tend to increase from 6 to 12 months of age, and tend to peak at 18 to 24 months of age.3 The CDC has recently updated its recommendations on children?s blood lead levels and recommends that health care providers try to prevent the occurrence of blood lead levels of 5 ?g/dL and above instead of 10 ?g/dL and above in children by4: screening children younger than age 6, preferably by ages 1 and 2, if they had not yet been tested; screening children and their family members who have been exposed to high levels of lead; screening children who should be tested under their state and local health screening plan. The new blood lead level value means that more children will likely be identified as having lead exposure ? allowing parents, doctors, public health officials, and communities to take action earlier to reduce the child?s future exposure to lead. The new recommendation does not change the guidance that chelation therapy be considered when a child has a blood lead test greater than or equal to 45 ?g/dL.

What your practice can do

Physicians can try to prevent lead poisoning in children by: discussing recommendations for lead screening with the parents/guardians of their pediatric patients; screening children starting at age 12 months and again at 24 months; discussing additional follow-up screening with parents and guardians; discussing lead safety and prevention with parents and guardians.

Resources

The following resources may assist you and your staff in effectively educating parents and guardians regarding the importance of lead screening: The National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week Campaign Toolkit. The CDC along with the EPA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development developed the National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week Campaign Toolkit to encourage information sharing, collaboration, and promotion of lead poisoning prevention activities. To download the toolkit, please visit www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/nlppw.htm. Lead Safe Babies Program. 215-731-7148 (Philadelphia residents) National Lead Information Center. 1-800-424-LEAD (non-Philadelphia residents) Additional resources on patient management can be found on our website at www.ibx.com/providers/resources .

1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Childhood Lead Poisoning. www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead.

2United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Basic Information, Facts about lead. http://epa.gov/lead.

3United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Basic Information, Facts about lead. http://epa.gov/lead.

4Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/ACCLPP/blood_lead_levels.htm


This content was prepared for the Provider News Center and may not be reproduced in any way without the express written permission of Independence Blue Cross. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Connect with us     Facebook     Twitter     Flickr     YouTube     Walk the Talk    Independence Pinterest    Independence LinkedIn    Independence Instagram Site Map        Anti-Fraud        Privacy Policy        Legal        Disclaimer
© 2023 Independence Blue Cross.
Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, serving the health insurance needs of Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania.