King County Medical Society offering free lead tests | Public Health Insider

South King County residents have a chance to have their kids and some household items be tested for lead during the October South King County Family Health & Safety Fair.

August 7, 2019 10:15 am
Public Health Insider has partnered with Seattle artist Amy Camber to produce a comic strip to help parents understand how testing for lead helps children and why it’s so beneficial to get them tested when they’re age six and younger. You can check out the full comic strip at <a href="http://www.publichealthinsider.com/2019/08/05/why-testing-for-lead-helps-kids-and-how-you-can-get-free-testing/" target="_blank">www.publichealthinsider.com/2019/08/05/why-testing-for-lead-helps-kids-and-how-you-can-get-free-testing/ </a>
Public Health Insider has partnered with Seattle artist Amy Camber to produce a comic strip to help parents understand how testing for lead helps children and why it’s so beneficial to get them tested when they’re age six and younger. You can check out the full comic strip at www.publichealthinsider.com/2019/08/05/why-testing-for-lead-helps-kids-and-how-you-can-get-free-testing/

Lead exposure can harm brain growth in young children, so it’s important for toddlers and preschoolers to be tested for lead if they have any of the risk factors.

LEAD TESTING DAYS

This month, we’re partnering with Best Starts for Kids, Virginia Mason, and the King County Medical Society to offer Lead Testing Days at pop-up locations throughout King County! Get your child tested for free at any of these events:

TESTING FOR KIDS AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, TOO

In addition to the Lead Testing Days, you can go to free LeadSHOPS where there will be:

  • free lead testing for kids
  • sign-ups for free home lead evaluations
  • free lead testing of household items and soil
  • resources to help you keep your family safe

You might be surprised to find out what items in your home have high levels of lead (see the comic strip below for possible lead-containing objects). I had dishes that belonged to my grandmother tested–and was shocked to find out that they were high in lead! I now only use them for decoration, never for eating.

LEADSHOP LOCATIONS AND TIMES:

• Federal Way Kids Day: Aug. 7, 2019, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Steel Lake Park, Federal Way

• Des Moines Back To School Fair: Aug. 8, 2019 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Steven J Underwood Park, Des Moines

• SeaTac Back To School Fair: Aug. 15, 2019 10 a.m. -2 p.m., Valley View Park, SeaTac

• Kent East Hill Farmers Market: Sept. 21, 2019, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Morrill Meadows Park , Kent

• South King County Family Health & Safety Fair: Oct. 5, 2019, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Auburn Family YMCA

A shout out to our partners for helping to make this happen: Washington Poison Center, Hazardous Waste Management Program, Horn of Africa, the Somali Health Board, BEST, and Living Well Kent.

For more information about lead and to see your neighborhood’s risk for lead, go towww.doh.wa.gov/lead