At lower levels, lead poisoning in children causes a variety of health and development problems. At very high levels, it can cause death. Children who live in homes built or remodeled before 1978, when lead-based paint was still found on walls and fixtures and lead pipes and other lead-containing plumbing supplies were in common use, are more likely than others to be exposed to lead and are considered at risk of developing lead poisoning. At-risk children may be screened and tested as early as nine months to one year of age, and may require periodic follow-up testing.
History
Until the mid-1960s, acceptable lead levels in the blood were as high as 60 micrograms per deciliter, or ug/dL, and any level beyond that was considered toxic. By the late 1970s, the toxic level was redefined by the Centers for Disease Control as 30 dg/uL. In 1997, the acceptable level of lead in the blood was reduced again, to less than 10 ug/dL.
Significance
Overall, blood levels of lead have been reduced in the United States, but according to the Centers for Disease Control, many children, especially poor and minority children, continue to test high for lead. Even at lower levels, lead poisoning can have a negative effect on health and intelligence, particularly affecting the central nervous system, the kidneys and normal blood cell development. Testing blood levels of lead in children who are at risk of exposure to lead can help to prevent lead poisoning and the damage it causes.
Features
Children who are considered at risk are given a blood test that measures the concentration of lead at the time the blood is drawn. Blood is drawn from either the finger or the arm. If a fingerstick test indicates high lead levels, it will most likely be followed up by testing blood drawn from the arm to confirm the abnormal results. If lead is detected at levels higher than 10 ug/dL, follow-up tests are performed over time to be sure that any treatment prescribed is effective and lead levels are going down.
Time Frame
Lead test values of 9 ug/dL or less do not usually require further testing. If a child's blood level of lead is between 10 and 14 ug/dL, follow-up testing will be scheduled for three to four months later. If test values are between 15 and 19 ug/dL, follow-up testing will be required within one month. At higher levels, more immediate retesting and follow-up testing is normal, and the doctor may order other types of tests, such as urinalysis, complete blood count and x-rays.
Considerations
Children are at higher risk of developing lead poisoning than adults because they absorb lead more easily and they are at greater risk of exposure due to their proximity to the ground, where chips and dust from layers of lead-based paint may settle. If lead testing reveals that a child has been exposed to lead and had high blood levels, the most immediate treatment is to remove the source of lead or to remove the child from the contaminated environment.
