At a glance
The Healthy Kids Minnesota program protects children from over 70 harmful chemicals including mercury and arsenic.
Overview
Minnesota wants to protect its preschool children from harmful chemicals in the environment as much as possible—for example, from arsenic that could be in rice or mercury that could be in skin-lightening creams. It's all part of the Healthy Kids Minnesota program, which looks at environmental exposures in 3- to 6-year-olds.
"Young children are an especially vulnerable group," says Minnesota Department of Health program director Jessica Nelson. "Our goal is to help communities and policymakers make the environment healthier for them."
How it works
With funding and expert support from CDC, Minnesota public health professionals are working with school districts across the state to learn what kinds of chemical substances put children at risk from exposure to air, water, food, and soil. These range from metals found in drinking water, food, and products to pesticides used in agriculture and homes.
The work will aid Minnesota in finding ways to help keep young children safe so they can be ready to learn and succeed in school. It's all part of CDC's commitment to help the Department of Health protect children through the Healthy Kids Minnesota program.
"This is an exciting first-time program for us," says Nelson. "With parents' permission, we're testing children for exposure to over 70 different chemical substances among Minnesota's diverse populations."
For instance, in Minneapolis, one child's urine tests revealed a high level of mercury, possibly from skin-lightening products at home. Minnesota Department of Health staff and partners at Minnesota Poison Control and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency worked with family members to visit the home, check for mercury contamination, and share information about possible harm from these products. Once the products were removed, urine tests showed lower mercury levels.
Meanwhile, in metropolitan St. Paul, which has a larger Asian population than other areas of the state, nearly 30 children had high levels of inorganic arsenic in their urine. Public health officials believed one cause might have been rice—which can absorb arsenic from soil and water—because many children were eating similar types and brands multiple times a day.
As Nelson notes, "It's a complex discussion because rice is a healthy food and an important part of the culture." After meeting with Minnesota Department of Health staff, some of the families decided to change their eating habits to try to reduce arsenic exposure, and it seemed to work. Families weren't told to stop eating rice, but to try cooking it in extra water, and choosing different types of rice that have been shown to have lower arsenic levels.
Free screening and support
Participation in Healthy Kids Minnesota is voluntary. It is open to preschoolers who come in for their required early childhood screening appointments and have their families' consent to give a urine sample for analysis. Sometimes parents ask, "Don't we already do this at the doctor's office?" said Chee Moua, early childhood screening coordinator with St. Paul Public Schools. Moua tells them that routine doctor's tests don't cover potential exposure to chemicals.
And with Healthy Kids Minnesota, there is no cost for the screening or additional follow-up support for children and their families.
Photo provided by Chee Moua
Almost 1,200 children across Minnesota have participated. Schools, tribal nations, and state and local public health agencies have supported the Healthy Kids Minnesota program to help ensure participation and success.
Free well-water testing for chemicals
In non-metro and rural parts of Minnesota, families also can have their well-water tested for unhealthy chemicals at no charge. "That's attracting a lot of people to the program. They see it not only helps their children, but also the community," says Megan Knetsch, a nurse working with her local public health department to recruit Healthy Kids participants in Duluth Public Schools.
Healthy Kids Minnesota involves more than testing though. Nelson's staff tracks people's progress to see which actions have been most effective to reduce chemical exposures. This work can help not only kids—but also adults—live healthier lives.