Putting Children First: #JusticeforFlint
Blog Post
March 11, 2016
Last week, both the Democratic and Republican parties held debates in Michigan and to varying degrees addressed the lead poisoning crisis in Flint. Many of the candidates commented about the children who were exposed to lead (Republican and Democratic debate transcripts). Infants and young children are the most susceptible to the long-lasting negative effects of drinking lead-laced water because their brains are still in development. Knowing this makes it especially disconcerting that the percentage of children with elevated lead levels doubled after the city switched to using river water. The state and federal government will need to invest in a long-term solution to mitigate the negative impact of lead in Flint’s children. Providing more funding to early education, early intervention services, and wraparound services could go a long way toward helping the children and families of this community.
An early whistle-blower for this crisis was a pediatrician named Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha. On a CNN broadcast with Wolf Blitzer, Dr. Mona explained how we needed to address the poisoning of Flint’s children saying, “We treat them [the kids] by removing the exposure. Stop drinking the water. The water is still not safe. Then, you give them great nutrition, and you give them great education, and you give them these great wraparound support services. And, that’s what these kids need. And, that’s what the federal government and our state government needs to fund because this is not a tomorrow problem. This is a decades, multi-generational problem. And, we need that support.” She’s right.
Unfortunately, once lead enters a child’s system there is no way to remove it. This is why the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control both recommend zero exposure to lead in children, and also why prevention is paramount. As Dr. Natalie Woods, a pediatrician from Cleveland, Ohio put it, “The effects of lead [in a child’s system] are irreversible. Even a low level of lead exposure may affect a child’s intellect, nervous system, and behavior.” According to Dr. Woods, when infants and young children are exposed to lead, there is an increased incidence of antisocial behavior, attention deficit disorder, and reduced IQ.
Recognizing that early intervention and wraparound services, such as early childhood mental health consultants, special education instructors, home visitors, and nutritionist, can help to mitigate the effects of lead, the federal government has stepped up. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has made a one-time emergency expansion of Head Start funding in Flint to the tune of $3.6 million. This is a good start. The infusion of this emergency funding will support over 1,000 Head Start children and 166 Early Head Start children in Flint by expanding behavior, health, and nutrition services as well as lengthening the school year for these children. Home visiting and special education services will also be expanded. And, funds will allow the city to open three new classrooms to serve additional children exposed to lead.
Still more will need to be done to help reduce the long-term negative impact of lead poisoning in the children of Flint. Flint’s children will need access to the best nutrition, education, behavioral health, and other wraparound services that our country can provide. There is no way to predict how this lead exposure will impact each individual child’s development, which is why a multi-pronged sustained approach coupled with ongoing developmental screening will be necessary as these children grow up.
Additional public investment will be necessary to support the growth and development of Flint children as they transition from infant and toddler care to pre-K and throughout the early grades. In Michigan, the state’s pre-K program serves 26% of four-year-olds. Eligibility requirements should be revised to include any children who have been exposed to lead. This investment in pre-K expansion for the children with elevated lead levels can help to fill any gaps in pre-K access. Wraparound services and training for teachers about the effects of lead on cognition and behavior will also be needed to fully support students as they progress through school. And finally, sustained and targeted investment will be needed to support the rebuilding of the community so that families who remain in the city and future generations are able to feel comfortable calling Flint, Michigan home. "