Books, pencils ... health screening?
Kids face new checkups before going back to schoolBy KATIE WILLIAMS, Messenger staff writer
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Fact Box
Questions regarding blood lead tests should be directed to the Department of Public Health at (800) 972-2026.
To get more information regarding dental screening, visit the Department of Public Health's Web site at http://www.idph.state.ia.us/hpcdp/oral_health
_school_screening.asp or call (866) 528-4020.
Angela Halfwassen, Webster County I-Smile coordinator, can be reached at 573-4107.
Children going back to school will be required to have two new health screenings before they hit the books.
Kindergarten and ninth-grade students will be required to have a dental screening and all students must have at least one blood lead test completed.
''Approximately 70 percent of children have already had a blood lead test done,'' said Rita Gergely, chief of the Bureau of Lead Poisoning Prevention for the Iowa Department of Public Health. ''We have files on each child since 1992 and we'll use that database to match against the lists the schools send us to make sure everyone has had a test.''
Gergely said it is important that all children get tested as early as possible so if the child does have a high level of lead - 10 micrograms per deciliter or higher - it can be corrected before the child even reaches kindergarten. While a test every year is not required through the new law, it is recommended to ensure the child's health doesn't change.
The new state law goes into effect with the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year.
''The most important thing is to determine the point of origin for the lead infection,'' she said. ''The most common cause is deteriorating lead-based paint.
According to the Iowa State University Extension Web site, lead paint was used to paint homes built before 1950. Almost 40 percent of Iowa homes were built before that time.
Gergely said high levels of lead have been linked to learning disabilities and lack of organization and focus, which can hinder a child's ability to learn in school. Extremely high levels can cause the brain to swell, which could result in death.
''No one has died of lead poisoning in Iowa, but there have been cases where the child could have died,'' Gergely said.
If a child is found to have high levels of lead in his or her blood, an inspection of the residence or the place the child spends most of his or her time must take place, she said.
The property owner will be given a list of things that need to be fixed and the Department of Public Health will work with them to prioritize or find temporary solutions for the problems. If the property owners do not make the needed changes they could be held liable, Gergely said.
''The main purpose is to improve the health of Iowa children so they will be ready to learn,'' said Sara Schlievert, community health consultant for the Department of Public Health.
And to do that, kindergarten and ninth-grade students will need a dental screening to be sure they aren't distracted by mouth pain, Schlievert said.
''There is increased knowledge that oral health has an impact on school readiness,'' she said. ''Pain can lead to problems with speaking and eating, which will in turn influence how that child learns.''
Angela Halfwassen, the Webster County I-Smile coordinator agreed.
''Cavities are the most prevalent and most preventable problem for children,'' she said. ''And that's probably the saddest part of it.''
Halfwassen said dental care often gets overlooked because most parents think the baby teeth don't matter. But they do, and parents should do everything they can to ensure their children get checked.
The new law does give some flexibility to who can perform a dental screening, so families who have difficulty getting to a dentist can have other health providers such as a physician or nurse perform the checkup, Schlievert said.
For this reason they have created the I-Smile Program, she said.
There are 24 regional hygienists across Iowa who will act as liaisons with the public to act as care coordinators, hand out forms to schools or dental offices, or actually perform screenings for families. Halfwassen coordinates for Wright, Humboldt, Hamilton and Webster counties.
''It is meant to be an early detection, so if the child is suspected to have problems they can get the help they need from a dentist,'' Schlievert said.
However, a dentist or dental hygienist checkup is required for high school students because of the complexities of an older mouth, she said.
''We're doing all we can to be sure everyone can comply without it being a financial burden,'' said Schlievert.
Dental screening forms can be found on the Department of Public Health's Web site and training for nurses will be in September.
Contact Katie Williams at (515) 573-2141 or katie@messengernews.net
