Leading Education & Awareness on Lead in Greater Nashua

About the Program

The Greater Nashua Leading Education and Awareness on Lead (L.E.A.D.) initiative is working to increase blood lead level testing for children under six years of age in the Greater Nashua Public Health Region (GNPHR) through educational opportunities and educational materials for health care providers, child care providers, and the general public.

What is Lead Poisoning?

Lead is highly toxic. Lead poisoning occurs when too much lead gets into the body through the skin, breathing, eating, or drinking, and builds up, usually over a course of months or years. High levels of lead in the body can harm the brain, damage speech and hearing, and result in learning and behavior problems. Children aged six and younger are at highest risk for lead poisoning because they can absorb lead more easily than older kids and adults, and lead is more harmful to them.

Who is At Risk?

All children are at risk for lead poisoning. Children in our region are at particular risk, since the most common source of childhood lead poisoning is lead paint in older homes, and over 50% of the homes in the GNPHR were built before lead paint was banned in 1978. As these houses age, lead paint cracks and chips, resulting in dangerous lead chips and dust, which can be poisonous to anybody, especially children. Although lead paint and dust are the most hazardous sources of lead for children, lead can be found in many sources including work clothes, tap water, toys, and spices.

In 2015, the NH Healthy Homes Lead Poisoning Prevention Program found that within the GNPHR;

More than 52% of the housing stock was built before 1978, when the use of lead paint was banned
More than 27% of the housing stock in Nashua was built before 1950
In 2015, only 19% of children five years of age and younger living in Nashua were tested for lead
5% of the population tested had elevated blood lead levels

2019 New Hampshire Lead Data Brief (PDF)

NH has seen above average rates of blood lead levels in children, partially due to older homes which still contain lead paint. NH has also seen low blood lead level testing rates for children. Our goal is to the change that.

Lead Testing

Blood lead level testing is an integral part of the health and safety of our children. Many parents may be unaware of potential lead exposures in their homes, which is why blood lead level testing is highly recommended for children one and two years of age, as well as children aged three to six who have not been previously tested.

NH is a universal testing state requiring all health care providers to conduct blood lead level tests for children ages one and two. This law requires property investigation and case management by the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for blood lead level (BLL) test results that are over the actionable BLL. The current actionable BLL is 5 mcg/dL. If a child’s BLL is over 5 mcg/dl, the State of NH Department of Health and Human Services will perform a home inspection to identify lead hazards, and the child will enter lead case management, including a home visit by a public health nurse. For more information, read the full law here.

To get your child tested, contact your health care provider or call us at 603-589-4500, option 2.

What We Do

Provider Education

We all play a critical role in the early detection and prevention of childhood lead poisoning. L.E.A.D. Greater Nashua is working towards its goal by providing all regional pediatric health care providers and child care providers with a toolkit containing the tools needed to increase lead testing in children. These toolkits contain information and resources such as a lead testing quick guide, tips on how to talk to parents about getting their child tested for lead, lead fact sheets, and more. Although these toolkits are being distributed to providers in the GNPHR, this information is available for all providers to access.

Community Education

L.E.A.D. Greater Nashua continues to conduct community outreach in the GNPHR through advertising, events, cross-promotion, media relations, and social media.

What You Can Do

Protect Your Family

The only way to know if a child has lead poisoning is by getting a blood test to check their blood lead level. A blood lead test is simple, quick, and covered by all insurance companies, and Medicaid. Ask your child’s health care provider to perform a blood lead test for any child aged one or two years old, and for children aged three to six years old who have not previously been tested or are at elevated risk. If you do not have insurance or a health care provider, visit one of our mobile lead testing clinics or call us at 603-589-4500.

Spread the Word

Share this information with others, including friends, parents, coworkers, parents, or anyone else because anyone can be affected by childhood lead poisoning.
Educate others that NH State Law requires all children to be tested for lead poisoning at ages 1 and 2.
Encourage parents to talk to their health care provider about getting their children tested for lead.

NewsFlash - Get the Latest News Here!

Greater Nashua Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Conference was a Success!

On Wednesday, September 30th, we hosted a free virtual conference focused on childhood lead poisoning prevention in the GNPHR. As we work to increase blood lead level testing for children under 6 years of age, this conference was intended to empower our community to increase engagement in initiatives and collaborations aimed at preventing childhood lead poisoning. To view the recorded presentations, click here.

Lead & COVID-19

As we continue to follow public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, families are spending more time in their homes. The Nashua DPHCS would like to remind our community that children in the GNPHR may be at higher risk for lead poisoning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Why you might ask? This is because over 50% of homes in Greater Nashua were built before 1978, the year that lead paint was banned. Lead paint can chip and form into dust, spreading throughout your home environment and causing a hazard to children. Learn how to protect your child from lead with these simple steps:

Keep children away from lead paint and dust
Use a HEPA vacuum and disposable rags to clean any lead dust
Wash hands, toys, and pacifiers often
Avoid imported foods and candies
Avoid allowing children to chew on metal charms, keys, and jewelry