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What can families and health-care providers do to support lead exposure prevention?

There are five things health-care workers can do to support lead exposure prevention.

1. Encourage participation in THEP’s Healthy Families Healthy Homes program

Care providers can encourage participation of expectant families in THEP’s Healthy Families Healthy Homes in-home visiting programs to learn a range of ways to reduce lead exposure. Families can sign up any time during pregnancy at thep.ca or by calling 250-368-3256.

 2. Enhance nutritional status for pregnant women, infants and young children

A healthy diet with good iron and calcium intake can reduce uptake of lead. Offer information on prevention of low iron and anemia. Provide information on food high in iron.

Calcium supplementation in pregnancy reduces bone resorption and thus decreases maternal blood lead and subsequent fetal exposure during pregnancy. (Lead stores are mobilized to a marked degree and may constitute an ongoing endogenous source of exposure during times of heightened bone turnover. Bone resorption is increased during pregnancy and lactation; from 20 weeks to delivery there is a significant increasing linear trend confirming the rise in blood lead levels).

3. Track developmental milestones

Health-care providers can keep track of developmental milestones in children either in their own practice with young families or via community events and partners.

4. Encourage Annual Blood Lead Testing for children 6 months-36months of age

  • In Trail, there are voluntary children’s blood lead testing clinics at KIRO Wellness Center twice a year. All children ages 6m-36m within the HFHH program area are invited annually to clinics. We also welcome on request children up to 5 years of age. Samples obtained at community clinics are also utilized to form community geomeans, track progress, and inform future direction of THEP.
  • Consider maternal testing (direct serum after 20 weeks gestation* or cord blood).
  • All blood Pb (and mercury) tests are reportable to public health in BC. Public health supports the investigation of those individuals who exceed the exposure investigation level (EIL).

TABLE: Exposure Investigation Levels (EILs) for blood lead in BC

Children (0-18 years)≥0.24 μmol/L (5 μg/dL)
Adults (≥19 years)≥0.97 μmol/L (20 μg/dL)
People who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding≥0.24 μmol/L (5 μg/dL)

5. Test for iron status

Maternal and infant/child iron status testing inclusive of ferritin (low iron stores and iron deficiency anemia increase risk of Pb absorption). The MHO recommends all children living in the Greater Trail Area are tested for iron status around age 9-12 months. If requisitions are provided to a patient or faxed to IH’s PHN (250-364-3436) we can do the test at IH’s children’s blood lead testing clinic. “One Poke, two results.”

Resource information:

Nutrition and Lead:

Pb exposure and children:

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