Isbella Diaz
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) Maryland will start requiring all 1- and 2-year-old children in the state to be tested for lead poisoning by early next year.
Current testing only targets children in high-risk areas, especially places like Baltimore City and other areas with much older housing.
The new regulation would expand the number of children tested in the state. About 175,000 children are expected to be tested within the first two years.
Lead poisoning can cause serious harm to the developing nervous systems of children. Lead-based paint is often the culprit when toddlers get sick.
Under the new regulations, children in Maryland will have to have their blood tested twice for lead poisoning, at ages 1 and 2.
Regulations to start universal testing are expected to be in place early in 2016.
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