Environmental Toxins: Fewer Cases of Lead Poisoning in NYC

According to Medical News Today, lead poisoning cases in children age 6 months to 6 years in New York City have declined 17% from 2004 and 86% in the last 11 years. However, despite the improvements, childhood lead poisoning remains a major health threat in many New York City neighborhoods. “While we have made tremendous progress in reducing childhood lead poisoning in New York City, more needs to be done if we are to reach our goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden.

The progress has been made in large part by programs established to help ameliorate the lead poisoning problem. Health care providers are required by law to test all children at both one and two years of age, assess risk of lead exposure for children up to age six, and test children found to be at risk for lead exposure. Most children with elevated levels of lead show no symptoms.