Screening for children ages 13 months to less than 72 months will take place each week throughout March.
The Burlington County Health Department and Virtua Community Nursing Services will be conducting additional lead screenings for children ages 13 months to less than 72 months each week during the month of March.
“Our Virtua partners have scheduled additional dates and times in an effort to screen more children for blood lead levels,” said Burlington County Freeholder Daniel O’Connell, liaison to the Health Department. “Through these lead screenings we can help raise awareness of the potential health risks and prevent associated problems in the future.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that there are approximately 500,000 children with high levels of lead in their bodies. The primary exposure to lead in children in the United States is through lead-based paint, but unknown to many, officials say lead is also in many products, such as makeup, toys, jewelry, zippers, and imported ceramics (plates, bowls, mugs).
According to officials, lead in a child’s body can cause learning and behavior problems. It can slow down growth and development; damage hearing and speech and make it hard to pay attention and learn.
The child lead screenings will take place at the Burlington County Health Department, 15 Pioneer Blvd. in Westampton.
The dates and times for the walk-in screenings are as follows:
- Monday, March 11, from 9 a.m. to noon.
- Tuesday, March 12, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
- Monday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to noon.
- Monday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to noon.
- Tuesday, March 26, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
There will also be a community screening at the Carslake Community Center, 207 Crosswicks St., in Bordentown, on Wednesday, March 27, from 5 to 7:00 p.m.
Appointments are available upon request by calling (609) 914–8550.
The Health Department will be offering walk-in screenings each month through June to address the low rates of childhood lead screenings in Burlington County.
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.
