Lead Screening: Well-Child Care Health Care Fact Sheet

What is lead screening? Lead screening is performed by measuring the level of lead in the blood. Lead is a toxin that is particularly dangerous for young children because of their small size and rapid growth and development. It can cause behavioral and learning difficulties, anemia, seizures and other medical problems. Full text»  [PDF, 109KB]

Strategies for Meeting the Lead Screening Requirement in Head Start

1. Work in partnership with your local primary care providers to obtain blood lead tests for all Head Start enrolled children as per the EPSDT requirements for Medicaid-eligible children. Clarify that Head Start references EPSDT as a standard of well child care and that lead screening for all children is required under EPSDT by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "CMS requires that all children receive a screening blood lead test at 12 months and 24 months of age. Children between the ages of 36 months and 72 months of age must receive a screening blood lead test if they have not been previously screened for lead" poisoning. Full text»  [PDF, 126KB]