Lead Poisoning

Lead Poisoning occurs when lead, a toxic metal, reaches a level of 10 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL) in the blood. Untreated Lead Poisoning can lead to:
  • Seizures
  • Coma
  • Brain and kidney damage
  • Death

Causes

Lead can be absorbed into the bloodstream by eating, drinking, or breathing contaminated particles.
Lead can be found in:
  • Paint
  • Dust
  • Soil
  • Drinking water
  • Food (rarely)
Most homes built before 1960 contain some lead-based paint, which was banned from residential use in 1978. Dust containing lead can linger on windowsills and in window wells. Drinking water that travels through lead pipes, or through pipes with lead-based soldering, may also be contaminated. Lead can become mixed with dirt after it peels from paint on building exteriors, and industrial sources and car exhaust also contribute to the problem. (Lead levels in the air have dropped substantially since lead additives were banned from gasoline in the 1970s.) Food produced outside of the U.S. can become contaminated if packaged in lead-soldered cans.

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.
  • Age: 6 or younger
  • Living in a house or apartment built before 1960
  • Living in neighborhoods where homes were built before 1960
  • Working in an industry or environment where lead is used
  • Pregnancy (women can pass lead on to their unborn children)

Symptoms

People with Lead Poisoning often show no symptoms, although the toxic metal can adversely affect nearly every system in the body.
One of the most serious concerns is lead's harmful effects on the neurological system. For every 10-mcg/dL increase in blood lead levels, there is a 2-3 point decline in IQ test scores. Lead Poisoning is also associated with neurodevelopment problems such as:
  • Attention deficit disorder
  • Other behavioral disturbances
  • Learning disabilities
  • Motor skill deficits
Other possible signs of Lead Poisoning include:
  • Headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Impaired hearing
  • Kidney damage
  • Nerve damage
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Dental and bone abnormalities

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. Lead Poisoning is diagnosed with a blood test. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children at high risk of Lead Poisoning have their blood levels tested when they are 6 months old, and that all children be tested at their one-year checkups. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests children at risk be tested again when they turn two. If you or your child has lead levels higher than 10 mcg/dL of blood, seek immediate medical treatment.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the severity of lead poisoning.
Treatment may include:
Environmental controls
If you have mild to moderate Lead Poisoning (10-44 mcg/dL), you will probably not be given medication. Doctors will work with social workers and public health officials to eliminate all contact with lead in your home, workplace, and school. They then carefully monitor blood levels until the lead has naturally worked its way out of your system.
Medications
If you have moderate Lead Poisoning (in some cases) or severe lead poisoning (45-69 mcg/dL), you will need medication to supplement the environmental controls. Medications may include oral or intravenous chelating agents that bind to lead and speed its removal from your body in your urine. Blood levels above 70 mcg/dL are considered acute cases. Hospitalization and emergency medical treatment are necessary.

Prevention

Avoid lead
Take the following precautions:
  • Have your home's paint and water tested if:
    • You live in a home built before 1960.
    • You think you are being exposed to lead.
  • Have any lead you find removed safely. Your state's Department of Public Health will help with this process.
  • Keep young children away from peeled or chipped paint.
  • Wash children's toys regularly.
  • Make sure children wash their hands before eating.
Keep it clean
Instead of vacuuming hard surfaces, use wet wipes or lead-absorbing detergents to avoid spreading lead-filled dust.
Play in safe areas
Take the following precautions:
  • Encourage children to play in grassy areas instead of dirt.
  • Keep children away from foundations of older homes where peeling paint may have contaminated the surrounding soil.
  • If there is a chance of lead exposure outside the home, have everyone take off their shoes before coming inside.