FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2004 |
CONTACT: VERA JACKSON
(202) 442-9194 |
MEDIA ADVISORY
CHILD ADMITTED TO DC HOSPITAL WITH ELEVATED BLOOD LEAD LEVEL
'Environmental Assessment Strongly Suggests Water Is Not The Source'
(Washington, D.C.) - The D.C. Department of Health (DOH) officials reported today that a child, under the age of six, was admitted to a D.C. hospital this morning because of an elevated blood lead level.
The child was first tested by their pediatrician on 1/9/02 and the latest blood lead level was taken on 3/17/04 by the DOH Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and resulted in an elevated blood lead level. Because the child's blood lead level was greater than 45 ug/dL, which is the level for treatment, DOH officials immediately notified the child's pediatrician for a clinical assessment. The pediatrician admitted the child for treatment.
The child's blood lead levels have fluctuated since 2002. An environmental assessment of the child's home was performed on 7/23/03 and was found to have lead dust and paint that exceeded EPA and HUD guidelines.
DOH officials said, "This is a situation where again we observe that the indoor environment of the child has lead dust and peeling paint at excessive levels. Unfortunately, the lead hazard had not been abated from this single family home. The environmental assessment strongly suggests that the water is not the source of lead exposure for this young child.
|
