Local kids testing positive for high levels of lead in their blood

Imagine finding a sign on your neighbor's door that warns of hazardous lead present in the house, and learning that kids have tested positive for high levels of lead in their blood.

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That's the reality for parents of more than 100 children under the age of 6 in Montgomery County. The children were found to have above 5 micrograms per deciliter of lead in the blood in 2017, according to new Ohio Health Department data analyzed by reporter Kara Driscoll of the Dayton Daily News.

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Several houses in the county are so bad they've been declared unsafe for human occupation.

The Ohio Department of Health tracks both hazardous homes and children with high levels of lead found in their blood systems, and identifies high risk zip codes.

Where is the lead coming from? 

  • Paint in or on the home
  • Dust in the home that contains lead
  • Contaminated water

What should you do to protect your children? 

Health officials say kids who are under the age of six need to be tested for lead, especially if they live in a home that was built before the 1980s.

Check to see if your zip code is recognized by the Ohio Department of Health as having high levels of lead.

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