Lead testing is now mandated for Michigan children.
Under state law, healthcare providers must test 1 and 2-year-olds for lead. And any child less than six can be tested if they haven’t been previously.
Washtenaw County Nursing Director Jane Nickert says universal lead testing is needed because the symptoms of lead poisoning look very normal.
“It is not easy to detect lead in a child who has an elevated blood blood level,” Nickert said. “The symptoms can be very vague and if you think about things like being a picky eater, loss of appetite, having some hyperactivity, not sleeping well, getting a little crabby, having some constipation. I’ve just described every two-year-old I’ve ever met in my life.”
The new state law amended the Public Health Code to require a child’s vaccination certificate to include a space indicating whether the child has been tested for lead poisoning, beginning January 1, 2024. The bills took effect October 3 of last year.
