A free lead testing event for kids age one to six is going on Thursday at Madison STEAM Academy in South Bend.
The city of South Bend, its school district and the South Bend Medical Foundation are continuing toward the goal of making lead testing available to every student under age six enrolled in South Bend Schools, and to their younger siblings.
Lead poisoning from soil or lead paint in homes is common among children who live in older housing and can cause learning and disciplinary issues.
Dr. Mark Fox is the Deputy Health Officer for the St. Joseph County Department of Health. He said the event is a step toward an objective Mayor Pete Buttigieg set out in his state of the city address.
“The Mayor really set an ambitious goal, testing across the South Bend School Corporation. And I guess we have 360...350-some days to help him meet that objective.”
This is the second testing event held at a school. The first was at Muessel in October. There is a third testing event planned for Harrison Elementary in the spring. Fox said after that they’re planning a hub and spoke model to test the remaining students.
The testing is happening Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
