Lead poisoning, also called plumbism, occurs in both children and adults when they ingest or breathe in lead particles. Over time, exposure can cause lead to build up in a child's body and cause dangerous complications. Certain lead levels in your child's blood can indicate lead poisoning. If you're concerned about your child's lead levels, consult a health-care professional.
Levels
Lead levels are tested by taking a blood sample and are measured in micrograms per deciliter, or mcg/dL. A doctor will typically diagnose your child with lead poisoning if his blood levels are higher than 10 mcg/dL, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Lead concentrations in the blood below this level are generally considered "safe." Many pediatricians routinely test for lead levels when a child is one or two years of age and again at different ages, depending on the child's risk factors.
Causes
Your child can be exposed to lead in various items, including lead-containing paint, water, soil and dust, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Prior to 1978, many types of paint contained dangerous levels of lead, which could cause lead poisoning when ingested or inhaled, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Lead-based paint and materials contained in toys, jewelry, plumbing fixtures and pipes, tableware and other objects are especially dangerous to children. Children younger than six years of age are at highest risk for lead poisoning, the Mayo Clinic notes.
Effects
Although lead poisoning can produce no symptoms, children are especially at risk for the harmful effects of lead exposure due to the heavy metal's impairment of neurological development, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Lead exposure can cause learning, behavioral and motor-skill problems in children, as well as attention deficit disorder. Lead poisoning can also cause hearing disabilities and stunted growth in children, warns the University of Michigan Health System. Lead poisoning can lead to kidney damage, anemia and brain-development problems. In extreme cases, lead poisoning can be fatal, causing seizures and coma. Symptoms of lead poisoning in children include fatigue, headaches, irritability, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal complaints, poor coordination and delayed mental development.
Prevention
One of the most important preventive measures that you can take is having your water and paint tested for lead if you live in a house or building unit built prior to 1960, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. You should also inquire about lead-related safety if your child's daycare was built before that year. You can reduce your child's lead exposure by purchasing toys that don't contain lead, having your child wash her hands after playing and before eating, and keeping your child away from flaking or peeling paint. To reduce inhalation of lead-containing dust, keep your floors and furniture clean by wiping them down with a wet cloth or mop. If you have lead in your water from older plumbing, install a water filter that removes lead or give your child only store-bought bottled water for consumption, advises the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Treatment
Various treatments for lead poisoning in children are recommended, usually depending on the severity of the lead levels in the child's blood. The most important part of treating lead poisoning in children is removing the lead-based contaminant from their environment. Supplementing with iron and enhancing nutrition can prevent or cut down on lead absorption in children, but more serious cases of high lead levels may require chelation therapy to help expel the toxic heavy metal from the body, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Lead levels higher than 45 mcg/dL could require treatment with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA, therapy.
