CHICAGO -- Starting this month, 1-, 2- and 3-year-old children living in nearly 150 communities in Illinois will need their blood screened for lead, a test that wasn't previously required in those parts of the state.The Illinois Department of Public Health announced an expanded list of high-risk ZIP codes this year, including more than a dozen in Cook County, increasing mandatory testing for lead exposure of children who live within those areas.
Parents can expect a finger prick for their kids at 12, 24, and 36 months at pediatrician's offices in these areas.Automatic lead screenings already happen in Chicago.The Illinois Department of Public Health said lead is found everywhere in Illinois.Lead pipes that get disturbed can mean lead in drinking water, though it's usually chipping lead paint that affects small children.