Testing for blood lead levels

Testing your child's blood for lead is the best way to tell if there's too much lead in his or her body. But remember hat the best protection is to prevent lead poisoning in the beginning. Information about blood lead tests is available from healthcare providers (doctors and health clinics) and public health departments. On this page you will find more information about:

What is blood lead testing?

A finger blood lead test is a quick and easy test. A little blood is taken from the finger and checked for lead. Blood can also be taken from the arm.

How much does blood lead testing cost?

The cost of getting a blood lead test is not the same everywhere. Healthcare providers have more information on the cost of blood lead tests in different cities and states. Some cities offer blood lead tests for free.

In Chicago, free blood lead tests are available at local neighborhood clinics run by the Chicago Department of Public Health. In other parts of Illinois, contact your local health department and inquire about free or low-cost blood lead testing.

Where is blood lead testing available?

Healthcare providers (doctors and health clinics) do most of the blood lead testing for young children. In Illinois and Chicago, the Public Health Department runs a Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP). CLPPPs work to make sure all young children who don't have health care are tested for lead poisoning.

Who should be tested for lead exposure?

Illinois and Chicago law require some children to be tested for lead at certain ages. This is called the blood lead screening schedule. Healthcare providers can find out if a child is at high risk for lead poisoning by asking parents or guardians certain questions during regular visits. If parents or guardians answer "yes" or "don't know" to any of the questions, the child may be at high risk for lead poisoning, and may need to be tested for lead more often. In Chicago, all children are considered at high risk for lead poisoning, and all children in Chicago should be first tested at six or nine months of age.

Some signs that a child is at high risk for lead poisoning include the following:

  • they live in a high-risk community or zip code identified by age of housing stock;
  • they receive Medicaid or help from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC);
  • they live in homes built before 1978;
  • they live in a home built before 1978 that has chipping or peeling paint;
  • they live with people who may be exposed to lead at work or from a hobby;
  • their regularly visit a home or building built before 1978;
  • they live or have lived near an active lead smelter, a battery recycling plant, or another industry likely to release lead into the air;
  • their pre-1978 home has been renovated recently or is being renovated; or
  • other children in the family or neighborhood have tested high for lead.

At what age should children first be tested for lead?

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that children at high risk for lead poisoning should have their first blood lead test when they are 12 months old. In Illinois, children who live in a high-risk area (or zip code) of Illinois or who take part in a public assistance program like Medicaid or Kidcare are at high risk for lead poisoning and are required by law to have their first blood lead test when they are 12 months old. (CH)

Children who live in a low-risk area (or zip code) need a blood lead test when they are 12 months old only if their healthcare provider thinks they are at high risk for lead poisoning for other reasons.

How often should children be tested for lead if they do not have an elevated blood lead level?

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that children at high risk for lead poisoning should be tested again at 24 months if their blood lead test at 12 months was normal.

In Illinois, children who live in a high-risk area, or who take part in a public assistance program like Medicaid or Kidcare are at high risk for lead poisoning and should be tested again at 24 months of age. Children who live in a low-risk area (or zip code) should be tested again at 24 months old only if their healthcare provider thinks they are at high risk for lead poisoning.

In Chicago, all infants are required to be tested for lead when they are 6 or 9 months old. If their blood lead levels are normal, they should be tested again every six months until they are 24 months old, and then once a year until they're six years old.

That means:

If infant is tested at: Test again at: Then when children at:
6 months 12 months 3 years old
18 months 4 years old
24 months 5 years old
6 years old
9 months 15 months 3 years old
24 months 4 years old
5 years old
6 years old

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