Betsey Flagg and her 4-year-old son, Ethan Long-Flagg, gather cleaning supplies after a class on lead poisoning prevention at the Lewiston Public Library on Monday. About 30 parents and children attended the class that was presented by Healthy Androscoggin and Androscoggin Head Start. Parents were given supplies to help clean areas that may be exposed to dust from lead paint. Shanna Rogers, health prevention coordinator with Healthy Androscoggin, said that Lewiston has the highest rate of children with lead poisoning in Maine. Lewiston has three times the state average for lead poisoning, said Rogers. The age of downtown housing stock is the prime reason, said Rogers. There has been 100 cases of lead poisoning in children from Lewiston and Auburn since 2008, with 65 percent of those cases involving new Mainers, said Rogers. Rogers said efforts are also being made to raise awareness with landlords about the danger of lead paint in downtown's older apartment buildings.
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