The South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) seeks to raise awareness of lead as a health risk and to promote testing for children under the age of 6 during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.
“We have a very clear mission to reduce kids’ exposure to lead while increasing the level of testing statewide,” said Department of Health Secretary, Melissa Magstadt. “Unfortunately, both the risks and the symptoms are easy to miss, so this Week serves as a way to capture attention and, more importantly, motivate people to act.”
One of the most important sources of lead South Dakota children are exposed to is lead-based paint in homes built before 1978. Data shows 53 percent of homes in South Dakota were built before 1980 when lead-based paint was still used in house paint. Chipped or flaked paint in those homes is a risk to children when they eat or touch paint chips and flakes that contain lead.
To take the risk assessment to help identify if your child is at risk, or to learn more about the Child Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, please visit the DOH website.
At the heart of the Department of Health’s mission is a simple yet profound goal: to protect and improve the health of all South Dakotans. The department is entrusted with the vital task of promoting wellness, preventing disease, and ensuring access to quality healthcare for all South Dakotans across our great state.
Visit the Environmental Protection Agency National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week webpage for more information on lead poisoning and raising awareness.
