SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health has announced an expansion of its list of ZIP codes where lead exposure testing is required for children living in those areas.
180 new ZIP codes, in parts of 47 Illinois counties, have been added to the list this year, including ZIP codes in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties.
IDPH says by this time next year, all remaining ZIP codes in the state will be implementing universal childhood lead testing statewide.
“IDPH is committed to building brighter futures for our children and families,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “This latest expansion of lead testing list brings us closer to achieving the ambitious goal of universal statewide testing. There is no safe level of lead in the blood. Early detection and intervention are critical tools to help protect Illinois’s kids from the serious health and developmental challenges caused from lead exposure.”
Lead exposure can lead to damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and developmental, behavioral and learning difficulties, and more. More information on lead exposure can be found at Lead Poisoning Prevention.
Under Illinois law, any child living in a high-risk ZIP code is to be tested automatically at 12 and 24 months. All children six years of age and younger are required to be assessed for lead exposure through the use of a questionnaire administered by a health care provider. Children who fall into other risk categories spelled out in the questionnaire are also tested.
Under current Illinois law, blood tests that come back with lead levels in excess of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter require a public health intervention.
