Otto Noerpel and his parents didn’t know it, but an antique shelf in their home was endangering the little boy.

Fortunately, when he turned 1, Otto’s WellSpan provider made sure he had a routine test to detect lead levels in his blood. When it came back positive – due to tiny lead paint particles coming from the shelf - Otto’s parents quickly took steps to ensure their child’s health.

As part of our Spotlight on Children’s Health program, WellSpan has expanded access to universal lead testing for children at 9 months and at 24 months by performing tests during a child's routine provider visit.

Last year, we performed nearly 8,500 lead tests in children under the age of 6 and identified more than 725 potentially high lead levels, notifying their parents that they need to make changes in their home to ensure their children’s safety. 

Dr. Matthew Howie, a WellSpan family medicine provider, says children should be tested at the ages they are crawling or toddling around and tend to put their hands on floors, windowsills and door frames, which could transfer tiny particles of lead-laden dust to their mouths.

“Children at this age are more likely to be harmed because their rapidly growing brains and bodies absorb the element more readily,” he explained “Lead poisoning can’t be reversed. Children with lead poisoning are more likely to fall behind in school or suffer lifelong health problems, such as kidney and heart disease.”

Managing lead at home

Dr. Howie reached out to the Noerpels with recommendations for the next steps, including removing the sources of lead in their home, supplementing Otto’s diet with iron and calcium and doing routine blood checks to see if his lead levels fell.

The Norepels’ home was built in 1931 but had been renovated before Otto was born. It had new drywall, paint and ceilings — pretty much everything had been replaced except the windows.

It turned out that the main source of Otto’s exposure was a shelf purchased from an antique shop that the family was using as a TV stand, said Otto’s mom, Jamie, a local historian and antiques lover.

“Otto’s toys were also on it, and when he played with his toys, he consumed dust particles containing lead,” Jamie said.

The Norepels immediately removed the shelf from their home. To further protect Otto, they add natural lead-free fertilizer to their garden, change air filters, vacuum their home with a special filter and clean windowsills.

Although the couple remains concerned about the possibility of permanent damage, they’re optimistic about the family’s future.

“We’re trying for a second baby,” Jamie said. “Thankfully, WellSpan has safeguards in place for parents like me who think it can’t happen to my kid, but it did. It’s made me appreciate a whole health approach even more, and we are following medical advice to make sure we’re doing everything possible for Otto and doing everything to help pave the way to a healthy second pregnancy and a brother or sister for Otto who is exposed to as little lead as possible.”

Ask your pediatrician or family provider about lead testing for your toddler during your visit. Looking for a provider?