From nausea to brain damage, the effects of lead poisoning can touch almost every system in the body. Children who are exposed to lead are more likely to have developmental delays and behavioral problems later on. That’s why public health leaders are rallying around kids in Flint right now.
Veterinary technicians test Blackie the cat’s blood lead levels. Image: Katie Cook, WKAR.
There are nutrition programs and pushes to expand early childhood education to try and mitigate some of the damage done by the city’s lead-tainted drinking water.
But while children’s health is rightfully the top priority in the city, humans aren’t the only ones who were exposed to lead in the drinking water.
Current State producer April Van Buren brings us a story about an effort to help Flint’s four-legged residents during the water crisis.
This segment is supported by Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. More news about the Great Lakes environment can be found at GreatLakesEcho.org and on Current State every Tuesday as part of our partnership.
This story first appeared on WKAR’s Current State and is republished here with permission.