Nutrition plays a significant role in a child’s ability to absorb Lead. For instance, a child who does not eat breakfast may absorb lead up to 7 times more readily than a child who has eaten. Similarly, research has shown that good nutrition can help reduce blood Lead levels and infants who consume diets rich in Zinc, Iron and Calcium, have been shown to have lower blood Lead levels.
One of the initiatives that has been implemented to assist in the reduction of children’s blood lead levels are Nutritional Programs at schools, kindergartens and childcare centres. Each day these children receive fruit and milk for both the morning and afternoon sessions and snacks are also provided for those children who come to school without sufficient food.
Ellendale Kindergarten
A healthy diet is vital to lowering a child’s blood lead levels and Ellendale Kindergarten has expanded its nutrition program with the help of the ten by 10 project. Kindergarten Director, Sharee Richardson, said the implementation of the nutritional program with assistance from the tenby10 project, has been an important resource to utilise to ensure students were eating healthily. “We already had a nutrition program policy in place where students bring in health foods and we could teach them healthy lifestyles, but when the tenby10 project was instigated, we thought it would be a valuable resource to tap into and the students really enjoyed participating in the healthy eating sessions each day. “While they are eating their foods they create meaningful relationships which help their social and emotional wellbeing,” she said. “Also, getting food in their bellies before they start playing will assist in lowering their blood lead levels.
Port Pirie and Districts Child Care
Port Pirie and Districts Child Care director, Kylie Backshall says the support offered by the tenby10 project has been tremendous. “We have also learnt quite a lot from the meetings we have had about the ten by 10 project and now have a better understanding of the issue in Port Pirie and what we can do to help the children who come here,” she said. “We have also introduced a new lead policy in August where children bring in pyjamas so they do not have to wear their outdoor clothes while they are sleeping.”
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