Encourage families to talk to their child's healthcare provider about lead testing

There is no safe level of lead and the only way to know if a child has been exposed is to have a blood lead test. Children on Medicaid are required to be tested at 12 months and 24 months (or before age 6 if not tested earlier). Other children with risk factors should also be tested. This includes:

• Children who live in or frequently visit a home built before 1978
• Immigrants, refugees, or children recently adopted from outside of the U.S.
• Children who have a friend or relative with lead in their blood
• Children whose parents or caregivers have an occupation or hobby that involves lead
• Children who may have other exposures to lead

We will be happy to bring lead test cards for you to share with your families, or you can print them yourself from the Washington State Department of Health website. They are available in many languages.

Lead in Cinnamon

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been investigating elevated levels of lead in ground cinnamon products. See the FDA website for more information. At this time, the implicated products are not known to have been distributed in Washington State.