The health and safety of children is very important to the Appalachian District Health Department. Child care facilities are inspected in accordance with 15A NCAC 18A .2800 “Rules Governing the Sanitation of Child Day Care Facilities”.
Registered Environmental Health Specialists inspect these facilities at least once every six months to ensure that basic sanitation standards are met. These standards include:
- Proper handwashing and techniques
- Approved water supply and wastewater disposal
- Proper food-handling
- Diaper changing
- Approved storage of chemicals, medicines, and supplies
- Safe and clean facilities
At the end of each inspection, the facility receives a sanitation classification of superior, approved, provisional, or disapproved. If a facility receives a provisional or disapproved classification, the operator and the Registered Environmental Health Specialist will discuss a corrective action plan to correct the violations within a specific time frame before re-inspection.
For more information about this program, please visit the links below or contact the Environmental Health office in your county.
Lead Poisoning Prevention
When a child under six years of age has an elevated blood lead level, Environmental Health Specialists perform lead poisoning investigations to determine the source of the lead exposure. It is recommended that healthcare providers test all children under six years of age for high blood lead levels to aid in early detection.
Lead poisoning in children can cause a wide variety of issues including headaches, hearing loss, learning problems, anemia, loss of energy, upset stomach, poor appetite, and coma or death (at very high levels). Lead can be found in many items such as water, soil, some paints, folk/traditional medicines, craft/hobby materials, fishing weights, clothing of a person who works in an environment containing lead, and older mini-blinds to name a few. Lead is appealing to children due to its naturally sweet taste.
When a child with a high blood level is reported, Environmental Health Specialists investigate the child’s home or other frequently visited location to try to find the source of lead in the child’s environment. When the source of lead is discovered, Environmental Health Specialists work with the parents or guardians to eliminate the source of the lead poisoning.
For more information on the Lead Prevention Program, please contact the Environmental Health office in your county or visit the links below. If you suspect that your child has come in contact with lead or may be poisoned, please call your health care provider or the Health Department in your county.
Consumer Product Safety Commission-Toy Recalls
NC Division of Environmental Health-Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch
Centers For Disease Control-Lead Information
Environmental Protection Agency-Lead Information
NC Division of Public Health-Lead Information