ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The Illinois Department of Public Health has added more than 100 zip codes to it's list of areas with potentially high risk of lead exposure for children.
Some of the communities on that list include areas of Madison and St. Clair County, such as Alton, East Alton, Granite City, Madison, East St. Louis, Belleville, and Mascoutah.
Several Bond, Jersey and Monroe county zip codes are also included.
Dr. Sameer Vohra with the Illinois Department of Public Health says adding more zip codes as area of concerns is a part of the department's broader goal for universal lead testing by 2026.
"(We) added a series of higher risked zip codes where more individuals who have had homes before 1978 or particular other environmental conditions, those families and children were more at risk for lead and we wanted to make sure those zip codes have opportunities to get the services that they require to make sure lead wouldn't cause any health challenges," said Vohra on Total Information AM.
Dr. Vohra says when it comes to risk of lead exposure, children are the most at risk because it can create detrimental effects to smaller bodies and still developing.
"Children under 2-year-old and younger are the highest priority for evaluation and testing because that's those areas where brain development is at its highest," said Vohra. "For all individuals and toddlers know, there's frequent hand to mouth activity. They're putting toys in their mouth, sucking their thumbs and it's the place with increased risk."
1978 according to Dr. Vohra is when the United States made significant steps to eliminate lead paint hazard.
"That 1978 housing remains the most prevalent source for lead exposure and nearly 60% of homes in Illinois were built before 1978," said Dr. Vohra.
Other main sources of lead according Dr. Vohra also includes contaminated soil in or around homes, drinking waters from lead in piping systems, and certain imported items like food, medicine, toys, or jewelry.
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