Sonora, CA– Tuolumne County Public Health is urging parents and caregivers to have children tested for lead exposure during Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, observed October 25th-31st.
This year’s campaign focuses on screening and ensuring children at risk receive appropriate testing and follow-up care. Health officials recommend blood lead tests for all children in Tuolumne County at ages 12 and 24 months because the area is considered high-risk. Lead can be found in paint, dust, and soil in homes built before 1978, as well as areas near busy roadways or industrial sites. Imported foods and spices, toys, jewelry, and traditional remedies can also contain lead.
Public Health officials say no amount of lead exposure is considered safe. Lead can damage a child’s brain and nervous system, permanently affect intellectual and social development, and cause learning difficulties that interfere with success in school. Children younger than 6 are especially vulnerable because their bodies are rapidly growing.
For more information, contact Tuolumne County Public Health at 209-533-7401 or visit here.
