I was surprised to learn that children don’t seem to get their blood lead level tested in Taiwan as a routine matter, and that it’s difficult to obtain a test if you want one.
Because of peeling paint in the apartment where I was staying, I recently tried to get a blood lead level test at NTU Hospital. The GP I saw told me that they could order it, but because it’s an uncommon test they would have to send it to a special lab for processing, with a wait time of 2 months to get a result. The nurse verified this by calling the lab. I was very surprised, because this is a ubiquitously available test in the US, and a basic one to do for kids.
I asked the doctor if children in Taiwan get their blood lead level tested, and he said not routinely, only if the doctor suspects lead poisoning based on symptoms. I’m not a doctor, but that seems indefensible to me, because lead is present in the Taiwanese environment (for example, it is unregulated in interior paint, whereas it was banned in the US in interior paint in the 70s), and any level of lead exposure detectable in a blood test - in other words, subclinical levels of exposure, with no obvious symptoms - have developmental effects on children. I’m familiar with the standard in New York State, which requires blood lead level tests at ages 1 and 2.
If you’re raising kids here, have they gotten their blood lead level tested by a Taiwanese doctor? Either way, I am curious how foreigners raising children here approach issues important to you where the local medical system doesn’t offer something you think is important. Do you take care of medical extras on visits to your “home country”? Or do you just go with the flow here?
Yes, it is definitely a thing in the US for children to have their blood lead level tested multiple times at young ages.
I think the only people who would get regular tests are those who might be occupationally exposed. But the reason why children routinely get blood lead level tests several times is because exposure to even very small amounts of lead is developmentally harmful.
There is no safe level of lead in the body. Children under 6 years old are the most vulnerable because their bodies are rapidly growing and developing. Symptoms may not be present immediately, but exposure to even low amounts of lead can damage the brain and nervous system. Long-term effects on learning, hearing, attention, and behavior can occur. [Take the lead on lead poisoning - Harvard Health]
If a child’s or adult’s blood lead test shows lead exposure, then you can try to determine what the source of exposure is - paint, water, food, spices, cookware, etc - and act to mitigate it.
Many of my refugee students from Afghanistan arrived with elevated lead levels. Some 5 times the norm, which is very sad, and its effects quite irreversible.
Here’s a discussion that includes useful info on locating private labs where you could probably get such a test done if that’s what you are looking for.
Hope I link this correctly…
Thanks @cycleroc. I’m actually visiting the US soon and I’ll get it done there, though I’ve left the apartment at issue, so it’s less of a live concern for me right now. As someone considering staying in Taiwan for a while, my hope with this thread was more to learn about other people’s experiences.
That’s surprising, and quite ridiculous. I don’t see why it would take two months to get the result. Maybe you should try one of those private labs like @cycleroc mentioned.
