Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning Webinars & Resources

The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) is pleased to continue to partner with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (Ohio AAP) to offer Lead-Free Ohio training.

In March, we held two webinars that delved into two unique topics that impact the likelihood of lead poisoning and severity of exposure. These webinars are archived below for American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Enduring continuing medical education (CME) credit.

Did You Know

Webinar Archives

Considerations for Refugee and Immigrant Patients on Lead Poisoning Prevention in Children

Evaluation | CME Certificate

Learning Objectives
  • Review screening guidelines for refugee health, including RHS-15.
  • Examine differences between U.S.-based lead screening and international lead screening efforts.
  • Utilize motivational interviewing to identify the patient and family’s social and medical needs.
  • Discuss potential persistent lead poisoning sources in the home from cultural humility lens.
  • Explore the Ohio AAP’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Toolkit.

CME Accreditation

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has reviewed Considerations for Refugee and Immigrant Patients in Lead Poisoning Prevention in Children – Enduring and deemed it acceptable for up to 1.00 Enduring Materials, Self-Study AAFP Prescribed credit(s). Term of Approval is from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the American Medical Association (AMA) as equivalent to AMA Physician’s Recognition Award (PRA) Category 1 credit(s)™ toward the AMA PRA. When applying for the AMA PRA, Prescribed credit earned must be reported as Prescribed, not as Category 1.

To receive CME credit after completing the webinar, please complete the evaluation linked above, report your credit to the AAFP, and print the CME certificate linked above for your records.

The Impact of Food Insecurity and Quality on Lead Poisoning Prevention in Children

Evaluation | CME Certificate

Learning Objectives
  • Review current data related to lead contamination in shelf-stable foods.
  • Examine comorbidities associated with lead poisoning and food insecurity.
  • Differentiate between state and local resources available for safe, quality food sources for children in Ohio.
  • Determine appropriate considerations and cautions when preparing food in the home.
  • Explore the Ohio AAP’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Toolkit.

CME Accreditation

The AAFP has reviewed The Impact of Food Insecurity and Quality on Lead Poisoning Prevention in Children – Enduring and deemed it acceptable for up to 1.00 Enduring Materials, Self-Study AAFP Prescribed credit(s). Term of Approval is from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the AMA as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™ toward the AMA PRA. When applying for the AMA PRA, Prescribed credit earned must be reported as Prescribed, not as Category 1.

To receive CME credit after completing the webinar, please complete the evaluation linked above, report your credit to the AAFP, and print the CME certificate linked above for your records.

Questions

Please contact Director of Education Erin Jech with questions.

About Lead

Lead is a metal that occurs naturally in the environment. Although lead can be found in small amounts in the earth’s crust, most of it comes from human activities such as manufacturing and mining. In the past, lead was used in gasoline, paint, metals, bullets, and batteries. We now know that lead has many hazardous health effects, and so lead has been banned or significantly reduced in these products.

Children can be exposed to lead in many ways, but most exposure happens when children put things into their mouths while playing. Lead was used in house paint until 1978, and any house built before that year could have lead paint. Chips from this paint can be ingested or ground into dust, which can be eaten or breathed in. Lead can also be found in soil, water, and certain items that come from other countries. Many children with lead poisoning have no signs at first, which makes it hard to diagnose and treat their poisoning early.

Even small amounts of lead can cause learning and behavior problems in children. Lead replaces iron and calcium and affects many parts of the body, especially the nervous system. Lead is most harmful to children under the age of six, because a child’s growing body takes up lead easily. Lead can also be dangerous to a baby during pregnancy.

Problems related to lead poisoning can last the child’s whole life. Even at low levels, lead can lower IQ, cause attention disorders, make it difficult for a child to pay attention in school, delay growth, impair hearing, and more.

Resources

Ohio Department of Health
Ohio Department of Mental Heath & Addiction Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
AAFP Patient Resources
American Academy of Pediatrics