Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead Risk Assessor Practice Exam

Would a child with consecutive blood lead tests of 17 ug/dl, 9 ug/dl, and 16 ug/dl be considered to be lead poisoned?

1. Yes, because the highest level was above 10 ug/dl

2. No, the tests were not consecutive

3. No, only one level was elevated

4. No, the child is not considered lead poisoned

The correct answer is: Yes, because the highest level was above 10 ug/dl

A child with blood lead levels must be evaluated according to established guidelines, which typically consider persistent and elevated lead levels to indicate a risk of lead poisoning. In this scenario, the child had blood lead tests with results of 17 µg/dl, 9 µg/dl, and 16 µg/dl. The first test at 17 µg/dl is above the commonly accepted threshold of 10 µg/dl, indicating a potentially concerning situation. Blood lead levels at or above 10 µg/dl warrant further investigation and follow-up, as they may indicate exposure to lead and the risk of lead poisoning. While the second result at 9 µg/dl falls below this threshold, the presence of two tests (17 µg/dl and 16 µg/dl) above 10 µg/dl suggests a trend of elevated lead levels. Health guidelines often do not solely consider isolated instances but rather look for consistent patterns in lead exposure, which in this case shows that the child has returned to elevated levels after a lower reading. Consequently, the highest level being above 10 µg/dl is sufficient to classify this child as lead poisoned, as it demonstrates that there have been at least some instances