CLEVELAND — More than 25% of Cleveland children test positive for lead poisoning before age 5 according to the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition.
While there are laws and regulations in place for property owners and landlords to ensure homes are lead-safe, there are still many Cleveland residents living with the fear that they are surrounded by walls and properties that can pose a health threat.
The nonprofit Environmental Health Watch held a town hall in the Glenville neighborhood Wednesday evening as part of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. The goal is to help educate residents about how to prevent lead poisoning before problems even begin.
The nonprofits recommend the following steps to prevent lead poisoning:
Washing hands regularly with soap and water
Washing toys regularly with soap and water
Washing and rinsing surfaces with soap and water
Running cold water for at least 30 seconds before drinking or cooking with it
Not using hot tap water for meals or drinking
Early testing was a key discussion point throughout the night. Children living in high-risk zip codes, which include all the city of Cleveland, and children insured by Medicaid, should be tested at age 1 and 2 years old. They should have at least one blood lead test done prior to the age of 6 if the child tests positively.
Eating healthy foods was top of the mind for one mom whose son was diagnosed with lead poisoning. It’s recommended giving children calcium enriched and foods high in iron to help prevent lead poisoning.
“I was seeing little behavioral issues which drew me to test him earlier around the 6 month mark,” said Andrea Anderson, whose son was diagnosed with lead poisoning. “It wasn’t covered by insurance, and I took that initiative to save my son before becoming a statistic.”
The 4th annual Lead Walk & Rally will cap off National Lead Prevention Week. It will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Bethany Baptist Church in Cleveland. For more information, click here.