It was a routine check-up.
Springfield native Crystal Bishop says nothing was visibly wrong with her
nearly two-year-old infant son, Michael. But then came the results from his
blood tests, which showed Michael with enough lead in his system — six times
the limit set by the federal government — to cause mental retardation.
“It tore my heart out,” says grandmother Dianna Shea, who visited Michael
during the weeks he was treated at St. John’s Hospital. “He’s getting stuck
with needles constantly. A baby shouldn’t have to go through that pain.”
Two years later, Michael, now four, suffers from learning disabilities and
behavioral disorders, according to his parents. He speaks at the level of a
one-year-old, they say, but much worse are the seizures he sometimes suffers
at night.
The Bishops have since traded in their apartment on West Jefferson — found
to have high concentrations of lead in the walls, windows, and pipes, for a
trailer on East Clear Lake.
“Even here we have to use a hose for water because we don’t have the money
to fix the pipes,” Crystal says.
Cases of lead poisoning persist today despite the federal government’s 1978
ban on lead-based paint for interior use. According to statistics, Illinois
ranks first in the country in elevated blood-lead levels among children ages
six and under. This age group is considered most vulnerable to long-term health
hazards from lead, which can stunt development and in extreme cases cause death.
According to the most recent statistics provided by the Illinois Department
of Public Health, 6.3 percent of children tested for lead poisoning in Illinois
in 2002 had elevated blood-lead levels, compared to 4.4 percent of children
tested nationally.
Springfield also exceeds the national average, with 5.1 percent of kids tested
having dangerously high blood-lead levels.
Local screening for lead poisoning has become a priority since last February,
when the city of Springfield received a first-of-its-kind, three-year, $2.16
million grant for lead mitigation from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Already, the city is requesting another $3 million HUD grant to begin when
the current grant expires, according to Jan Sorenson, operations coordinator
for the Office of Planning and Economic Development.
“We need more money because we just have that much lead here in Springfield,”
says Sorenson.
City officials hope to double the number of children tested annually for lead,
which in 2002 was just 16 percent of Springfield’s total population.
Areas with the highest levels of lead poisoning are located on the north and
east sides of the city, with ZIP codes 62702 and 62703 designated high-risk
by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Nearby Illiopolis is also considered
a high-risk area.
“I had no idea I was living in a high-risk ZIP code,” says Lori Dale, a secretary
at St. John’s Hospital, whose daughter, Hannah, was diagnosed for elevated lead-blood
levels two years ago. “Now I worry about my child’s development, and think about
what I could have done to prevent this.”
While economically depressed areas are often hardest hit, all houses are considered
to have some form of lead in them, says Linda Cress, a nurse who for eight years
has headed the lead prevention and awareness program with the Springfield Department
of Public Health.
Lead is found in such household items as toys, cosmetics, jewelry, mini-blinds,
candle wicks, craft models, stained glass, wrapping paper, and glossy magazines.
The onset of spring brings its own set of hazards. One of the most common
sources of lead is found in windows, where chipped paint can grind into dust
when opened and closed. Paint chips can spell trouble especially for infants,
who have a natural tendency to put things in their mouths.
“The two things we stress to parents,” says Cress, “are nutrition and cleanliness.
We advocate diets high in calcium, iron, and vitamin C; and regularly washing
window sills and vacuuming can make a world of difference.”
Many homes pose a lead exposure risk, from chipping paint to stained glass.
If ingested by children, lead can cause serious developmental problems, nervous
disorders, and even death.
The city of Springfield is currently administering a $2.16 million federal
grant toward lead mitigation, with the goal of doubling the number of children
tested annually for elevated blood-lead levels.
For information on lead poisoning screenings and prevention, call the Springfield
Department of Public Health at 789-2182.
This article appears in Apr 1-7, 2004.
