Talking to Parents

 When talking to parents about their children’s health, the most important thing is to empathize with the parents and their circumstances.  Educators should also be prepared to address barriers to care like: lack of health insurance; uneasiness about blood testing; and lack of transportation.  Parents will also be dealing with stress, anxiety, and an overwhelming concern over their child’s health. 

Anticipating barriers and answers to potential questions will help address the concerns of parents.  Educators should be aware of how to find community resources.  For example: Where can parents get free blood lead testing? What insurance programs do they qualify for? What should they do if they have a non-compliant landlord?  If you cannot answer their questions, it would be wise to have alternative contacts to provide them.  Another idea is to make sure you maintain a list or packet of resources and services to provide to parents. The Coalition created a Community Guide - a one-stop listing of services and programs along with information and contact numbers for the entire state.  You may call the Coalition directly or send an email to ceclp@leadsafe.org to request a guide.

In addition to being well informed about resources and services, you should also be educated on the history of lead poisoning, prevention methods, and safe renovation practices.  The Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning has myriad services and educational materials to familiarize yourself with lead poisoning.  See our Services section or call us at 1 800 370 LEAD for more information.