The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed updated criteria for when to screen a Medicaid-eligible child for lead poisoning.
Patient selection: Medicaid-eligible child (from 1 to 5 years of age)
Method of screening: blood lead levels
Criteria for lead screening - one or more of the following:
(1) The child is suspected of being at risk for lead exposure by parent, guardian or healthcare provider.
(2) A sibling or frequent playmate has an elevated blood lead level.
(3) The child is a recent immigrant, refugee or foreign adoptee.
(4) The parent, guardian or primary caregiver has a significant professional exposure to lead.
(5) The parent, guardian or primary caregiver has a significant recreational exposure to lead.
(6) The household uses traditional, folk or ethnic remedies and/or cosmetics.
(7) The household eats food imported by other family members from abroad.
(8) The household has one or more environmental risk factors for lead exposure (industrial exposure, paint, etc).
where:
• A Medicaid-eligible child is probably at greater risk for lead poisoning based on a higher risk of environmental exposure but any child may be at risk.
