Dougherty County in Top 10 counties for risk for childhood lead poisoning in Georgia

ALBANY — A recent presentation conducted by Chris Rustin, director of the Environment Health Section for the Georgia Department of Public Health, on the populations in Georgia most at risk for lead poisoning has brought attention statewide to the health risks involved, and the outreach efforts needed to investigate and mitigate sources of contamination.

Dougherty County, at the No. 7 spot, is counted among the Top 10 counties in the state whose children are at higher risk for lead poisoning based on 2013 data, Rustin said.

Rustin said the ranking for Dougherty County was based on the finding that 63 percent of homes in the county, as well as 64 percent of those in Albany, were built before 1978 — when use of lead based paint was banned.

Researchers also found that 52 percent of occupied units are rented, which is another risk factor for childhood exposure.

“(Rental properties) are not generally maintained as well (as other residencies),” Rustin said.

Officials from the Georgia Department of Public Health say that roughly 500,000 children in the United States have a blood lead level of more than 5 micrograms per deciliter — considered the level of concern — with about 5,000 Georgia children tested with similar readings.

In 2013, there were 1,256 children in Dougherty County screened through a finger prick test for lead, and of those, 91 were at the level of concern on their initial screenings, Rustin said.

To alleviate the risk, the recommended course of action for families living in a home built before 1978 is to ensure there are no lead paint chips where they can break off and children can easily get a hold of them — including friction surface points such as a door jamb. The chips can be ground into dust and be either ingested or inhaled, for which it is recommended to use a wet mop on floors rather than a broom to clean it up.

“Maintaining the home (will decrease the risk),” Rustin said.

If a child’s initial blood lead level comes out to be 10 micrograms per deciliter, a confirmation test is performed. If the initial result is confirmed, an environmental health officer is sent to the home to determine the lead source and make recommendations on how to address it. The finger prick test is recommended at a child’s preventive pediatrician visit at 12 months and 24 months, or between 36 and 72 months if not tested earlier.

The test is required under Medicaid. Given the health risks involved, it is recommended regardless of the payor the family uses.

“It is not required under private insurance, but (parents) should still have a conversation with the doctor about it,” Rustin said.

In cases when an environmental health officer has to be sent to a home, among the tools they have with them is a device used to measure the amount of lead in the home’s paint. Rustin said toys imported from China, certain cosmetic products, candy products imported from Mexico, or a higher lead content in the soil and water are among the other causes.

About 80 percent of causes are linked to the home environment, he said.

In high levels, lead can act like a neurotoxicant and impact speech, language, coordination and other cognitive affects sometimes not reversible. Children have a higher metabolism and keep lead in their system longer, and the more exposure they get, the worse the effects can be.

“In most cases, if we catch it early, the child can lead a long and healthy life,” Rustin said.

Thirteen Georgia counties are listed at high risk for childhood lead poisoning, which was based on the number of children in 2013 with a blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter or higher. Aside from Dougherty, the other counties were Floyd, Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Hall, Troup, Muscogee, Bibb, Laurens, Richmond and Chatham.

For more information on the DPH outreach efforts in high risk areas, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/lead.