Waco, TX – State officials have announced that the DSHS encourages all health care providers to report all blood lead levels in children to DSHS as required and to follow the updated Reference for Blood Lead Retesting and Medical Case Management, Pb-109 form, which provides follow-up guidance for blood lead levels at 3.5 ug/dL and above.
Officials also said lead exposure can have serious consequences for children’s health.
There is no known safe blood lead concentration; even blood lead levels as low as 3.5 ug/dL may be associated with decreased intelligence in children, behavioral difficulties, and learning problems.
As lead exposure increases, the range and severity of symptoms and effects also increases.
BLRV is a screening tool to identify children who have higher blood levels compared to most children. The change will identify more children with lead exposure so that parents and doctors can take action early to mitigate the effects of lead.
The change also aligns with national standards.
