Orange County recognizes Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, urges more testing and abatement

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 8 formally recognized October as Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, with county health officials urging families to test young children and take advantage of free abatement services.

Chairman Wagner invited the county health officer to the dais to outline local risks and responses. ‘‘Children can be exposed to lead through common household substances such as dust, soil, paint, water, toys, appliances and even certain foods,’’ the health officer said, noting that even low blood lead levels can harm IQ, attention span and school performance.

Vice Chairman Doug Chaffee stressed there is ‘‘no safe blood level in children’’ and described county efforts to expand education and screening for at‑risk children. ‘‘So together, we can provide a healthy, lead‑safe environment where all children can achieve their full potential,’’ Chaffee said.

Supervisor Katrina Foley named the county’s lead abatement program and gave a local contact for residents who want to check their homes. She told parents to ‘‘ask your pediatrician whether your child’s blood needs testing’’ and provided the county hotline for abatement inquiries: (714) 567‑6220.

The county health officer also advised following OC HealthInfo for product recalls and other lead‑related alerts. Officials emphasized that property built before 1978 is more likely to contain lead paint and that testing remains the only reliable way to detect exposure.

No board action was required; the proclamation and presentations were intended to raise awareness of screening and mitigation resources and to encourage preventive testing.