Lead poisoning, especially in children, has made headlines in recent years, for good reason. The condition, found in more than 500,000 U.S. children, can lead to lifelong delays, including damage to the brain and nervous system; slowed growth and development; learning and behavior problems; and hearing and speech issues.
The most recent blast of headlines began with the crisis in Flint, Michigan. After the city started drawing drinking water from the Flint River in 2014, the number of children under six years of age with high levels of lead in their blood almost doubled. Those rates returned to normal levels after Flint went back to its original drinking water source – Detroit's water system. Several officials face charges in the case.
But those headlines have only continued as further research has uncovered high levels of lead poisoning among children across the country. One examination by the news agency, Reuters, discovered nearly 3,000 U.S. communities with high rates of lead poisoning among their youngest residents.
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