Public Health: More than just shots- Child passenger safety checks and lead poison testing
By Peyton Meisner
This is a series about the Crawford County Health Department and the array of services they provide.
Child Passenger Safety Checks
Road injuries are the leading cause of unintentional deaths to children in the United States. When installed and used correctly child safety seats decrease the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent among infants, 54 percent among toddlers and 45 percent among children ages 4 - 8.
Crawford County Public Health offers free Car Seat Checks. “An estimated 59 percent of car seats and 20 percent of booster seats are installed or used improperly. Our hope is to help parents and caregivers learn how to properly install their car seats and feel confident in doing it themselves in the future,” said Sonya Lenzendorf, Crawford County Public Health educator.
Schedule an appointment with the Crawford County Child Passenger Safety Technician to learn and ensure your child’s car seat is installed correctly. Car seat checks can be scheduled by calling the Health Department at (608) 326-0229 or emailing slenzendorf@crawfordcountywi.org.
Lead Poisoning Prevention & Testing
According to the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), 4.2 percent of children, or half a million, tested for elevated blood lead levels of 5 (µg/dL) or greater. Lead poisoning occurs when the body is exposed to a large amount of lead OR continuous small amounts of lead.
A blood test is the only way to determine if a child has lead poisoning. Children six years and younger should be tested on an annual basis if they meet any of the following criteria:
• Live or play in houses built before the 1980s.
• Live with a person who is exposed to lead at work or through a hobby.
• Live or play around an older home that is being remodeled.
The Crawford County Public Health Department offers testing for the presence of lead in children ages 1 and 2 at their WIC clinic sites and on a walk-in basis at the Public Health Office. This screening is done free of charge and information regarding the hazards of lead is addressed with each client. Also, the staff is available to help you with questions and concerns about the results of the tests.
For more information, visit www.crawfordcountywi.org/health.html or call (608) 326-0229.