By Meredith Li-Vollmer, Public Health – Seattle & King County

Lead exposure can harm brain growth in young children, so it’s important for toddlers and preschoolers to be tested for lead if they have any of the risk factors. 

This month, we’re partnering with Best Starts for Kids, Virginia Mason, and the King County Medical Society to offer Lead Testing Days at pop-up locations throughout King County! Get your child tested for free at any of these events:

• Federal Ways Kids Day, August 7 at 11 am – 3 pm
• Covington KidsFest, August 10 at 10 am – 2 pm
• AuburnFest, August 10 at 11 am – 7 pm
• Flavor of Federal Way, August 10 at 11 am -3 pm
• Big Day of Play, Rainier Community Center, Seattle, August 17 at 11 am -5 pm
• King County Fire District 20 Health & Safety Fair, Federal Way, August 24 at 10 am -2 pm
• Denise Louie Community Resource Faire, Mercy Magnuson Place – South, Seattle at 10 am -2 pm

Bonus: a comic strip helps explain how lead affects children’s growing brains

We also worked with Seattle artist Amy Camber on a comic strip to help parents understand how testing for lead helps children and why it’s so beneficial to get them tested when they’re age six and younger.

For more information about lead and to see your neighborhood’s risk for lead, go to www.doh.wa.gov/lead

Artwork by Amy Camber, written by Meredith Li-Vollmer. 

Originally posted on August 5, 2019.