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Dec. 8, 2005

Mayor cites urgent need for testing of children ages 1-5

As part of a vigorous public health initiative, the Woodbridge Department of Health and Human Services will offer nine lead poisoning screening clinics for children ages 1-5 in the coming year , Mayor Frank G. Pelzman has announced.

The screenings take placefrom 2-3 p.m. at the Woodbridge Health Center, 2 George Frederick Plaza, Woodbridge on January 18, February 15, March 15, April 19, May 17, June 21, September 20, October 18, November 15.

The screenings are free to Woodbridge residents, and there is no registration required. Call (732) 855-0600 x5011 for information.

“Lead poisoning is the number one environmental health issue affecting children under the age of six,” says Mayor Pelzman. “It is also preventable with early testing and continued vigilance.”

The screenings form the core of an aggressive, year-long outreach campaign carried out by the Department of Health and Human Services and supported in part by a grant from the Alcoa Foundation . The Department will also conduct education workshops, contact elementary schools and pediatricians and distribute new lead poisoning information brochures in English, Spanish and Gujarati.

According to the New Jersey Interagency Lead Poisoning Prevention Task Force , each year nearly 1,000 New Jersey children are diagnosed with lead poisoning, while thousands more are diagnosed with elevated blood lead levels.  The children are from every ethnic group, every economic background and every county in the state.

Before its use in paints was regulated in 1977, lead was commonly used to increase the durability and color-fastness of house paint and in more than 100 ordinary household items including ceramics, pottery and dishes. In Woodbridge Township an estimated 30% of the housing units were built between 1950 and 1977.

“In an area with an older housing stock, it is important to stay vigilant in monitoring lead exposure,” says Mayor Pelzman. “With this generous grant from Alcoa Foundation aiding our effort, we want to get as many children tested as possible while informing adults about the ongoing hazards of lead in the environment.”