WATKINS GLEN, NY - New York State data shows that only 37% of one year old children in Schuyler County have been tested for lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can cause lifelong problems for a child, making the low testing rates a concern for both pediatrician Dr. Eunice Nayo and Public Health Director, Marcia Kasprzyk. “The goal is to get 100% of our children tested for lead poisoning at age 1 and 2” says Marcia Kasprzyk. Together, Dr. Nayo and Schuyler County Public Health are making the low testing rates in Schuyler County a priority for 2015.
On January 5, 2015, Schuyler County Public Health gave Dr. Nayo a Lead Care II Machine to use in her Watkins Glen Office. The Lead Care II Machine tests a child for lead poisoning using just two drops of blood. Results are available in 3 minutes making it quicker to identify any problems. Dr. Nayo will be the first Schuyler County doctor to offer this new health service in her office so children can be tested for lead poisoning during their routine doctor appointments. This new health service also comes at a time when the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stresses the importance of parents and doctors acting early when a child is found to have too much lead in their system.
For more information about preventing lead poisoning, promoting lead testing and protecting children from lead, contact Schuyler County Public Health at 607-535-8140, option 8