Rapid Environmental Health Response to High Venous Blood Lead Concentrations in a Child Less Than 6 Years Old: A Local Health Department Perspective

On October 2, 2014, the Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (LPPP) received a 61 [micro]g/dL venous blood lead concentration (VBLC) report describing a 3-year-old female refugee. A VBLC above 45 [micro]g/dL in a child less than 72 months requires an aggressive m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental health 2018-07, Vol.81 (1), p.22-28
Main Author: Figgs, Larry W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Archives & records
Blood levels
Care and treatment
Case studies
Census of Population
Children & youth
Disease control
Disease prevention
Encephalopathy
Environmental health
Environmental protection
Families & family life
Hazard assessment
Health care
Health education
Health risk assessment
Health services
Health systems agencies
Immigrant children
Lead
Lead content
Lead poisoning
Methods
Pediatrics
Poisoning
Powers and duties
Practice guidelines (Medicine)
Prevention programs
Public health
Stakeholders
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Description
Summary:On October 2, 2014, the Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (LPPP) received a 61 [micro]g/dL venous blood lead concentration (VBLC) report describing a 3-year-old female refugee. A VBLC above 45 [micro]g/dL in a child less than 72 months requires an aggressive medical and lead hazard exposure intervention because encephalopathy risk is increased. To achieve these intervention objectives, LPPP managers must determine which LPPP stakeholders can respond, contact the parent/guardian and property owner, alert the LPPP stakeholder network, assess lead hazards in the victim's environment, ensure the victim has a lead-safe dwelling, and monitor critical medical (e.g., treatment prognosis, VBLC reports, treatment discharge date, etc.) and environmental interventions (e.g., assure all lead-safe environment tasks are completed). This special report describes the DCHD protocol developed to ensure rapid environmental health responses to severe pediatric lead poisoning.
ISSN:0022-0892