"Lead Poisoning Statistics Hold Steady, State Plans New Efforts"

"The decades-long decline in lead-poisoned children in Maryland has essentially stalled, but state officials said Thursday they are taking steps in the coming months to address gaps in the marathon effort to eliminate the environmental health threat.

Statewide, 2,622 youngsters up to age 6 were found to have harmful levels of lead in their blood last year, according to an annual report just released by the Maryland Department of the Environment. That's down 4 percent from 2012, though the number of children with seriously elevated lead levels grew slightly, from 364 to 371.

Exposure to even minute amounts of lead can harm still-developing brains and nervous systems of young children, leading to learning and behavioral problems."

Timothy B. Wheeler reports for the Baltimore Sun September 25, 2014.