As part of the continuing Be Well series "Lead: Crisis Abandoned" ideastream host Tony Ganzer sat down with health producer Kay Colby to talk about some of the science behind efforts to help children with lead poisoning. They highlighted some of the brain studies conducted by researchers across the country documenting the adverse effects of lead exposure on brain development and discussed how many experts consider such findings a powerful justification to treat childhood lead poisoning as a type of brain injury. Such findings are also spurring local and national experts to push for initiatives to get all lead poisoned children into high quality and enriched pre-kindergarten programs.
Resources for Families & Children With Lead Poisoning
If you have a child under the age of three who is identified as having elevated blood lead levels and you are concerned about his or her development, you can call Help Me Grow of Cuyahoga County today at (216) 698-7500 to learn more about available services. If your child is over the age of three, the staff can direct you to additional community resources.
Help Me Grow (HMG) offers two statewide child development programs that are initiatives of the Ohio Department of Health. Help Me Grow also offers Bright Beginnings, a home visiting program that focuses on children's healthy development and is an initiative of Invest in Children and the Family and Children First Council in Cuyahoga County. Help Me Grow provides families with information, support, and encouragement to help their children develop during the crucial early years of life (prenatal to age three). Help Me Grow programs are delivered at no cost to the family. You can also get information on the website at http://www.helpmegrow.org/ .
A second community resource is Robin Brown. She leads a grassroots effort and empowerment program that includes support group meetings for parents of lead poisoned children. She can be reached at (216) 804-7089 or by email at ProjectInfo216@gmail.com .