Lead poisoning

Description

Lead poisoning occurs when lead builds up in the body, often over months or years. Even small amounts of lead can cause serious health problems. Children under 6 years are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can severely affect mental and physical development. At very high levels, lead poisoning can be fatal.

Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in older buildings are common sources of lead poisoning in children. Other sources include contaminated air, water and soil. The adults who work with batteries, do home renovations or work in auto repair shops also might be exposed to lead.

There is a treatment for lead poisoning, but taking some simple precautions can help protect you and your family from lead exposure before the damage is done.

Symptoms

Initially, lead poisoning can be difficult to detect, and even people who seem healthy can have high levels of lead. Signs and symptoms usually do not appear until dangerous amounts have accumulated.

Symptoms of lead poisoning in children

The signs and symptoms of lead poisoning in children include:

  • Developmental delay
  • Learning difficulties
  • Irritability
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Sluggishness and fatigue
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Hearing loss
  • Seizures
  • Eat things, such as paint chips, that are not foods (pica)

Symptoms of lead poisoning in infants

Babies who are exposed to lead before birth can:

  • Born prematurely
  • Have a lower birth weight
  • Have slowed the growth of the

Symptoms of lead poisoning in adults

Although children are the most exposed, lead poisoning is also dangerous for adults. Signs and symptoms in adults may include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Muscle and joint pain.
  • Difficulties with memory or concentration
  • Headache
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Mood disorders
  • Reduced sperm count and abnormal sperm
  • Spontaneous abortion, fetal death or premature delivery in pregnant women

Causes

Lead is a metal that occurs naturally in the crust of the earth, but the human activity — mining, the burning of fossil fuels and manufacturing — has caused it to become more widespread. The lead was also used in paint and gasoline, and is still used in batteries, solder, pipes, pottery, roofing materials, and some cosmetics.

The lead in the paint

Lead-based paints for home, toys, and furniture for the home have been banned in the united States since 1978. But the lead-based paint is still on the walls and wooden furniture in many older houses and apartments. The majority of lead poisoning in children results from eating chips from deteriorating lead-based paint.

The water pipes and import of canned goods

Lead pipes, brass, plumbing fixtures and copper pipes soldered with lead can release lead particles in the tap water. Lead solder in food cans, banned in the united States, is still used in some countries.

Other sources of lead exposure

Lead times can also be found in:

  • Ground. The particles of lead from gasoline with lead in the paint or settle to the ground and can last for years. Soil contaminated with lead is still a major problem around the roads, and in some of the urban environments. Some of the ground near the walls of older homes, it contains lead.
  • The dust of the house. House dust may contain lead paint and lead-contaminated soils brought in from outside.
  • The ceramic. The glazes that are found in some ceramic, earthenware, and porcelain may contain lead that can leach into food that is served or stored in the ceramic.
  • Toys. Lead is sometimes found in toys and other products produced abroad.
  • Cosmetics. Shot, an eye cosmetic in Nigeria, has been linked to lead poisoning. Kohl's is another eye makeup that may contain lead.
  • Herbal or home remedies. Lead poisoning has been linked to greta and azarcon, traditional Hispanic medicine, as well as some of the India, China and other countries.
  • Mexican candy. Tamarindo, an ingredient used in some candy made in Mexico, may contain lead.
  • Lead bullets. The time spent in fields of shot may lead to exposure.
  • The occupations. People are exposed to lead and can carry it home on their clothing when working in the automotive repair, data mining, pipeline installation, manufacture of batteries, paint, construction and other fields.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase your risk of lead poisoning include:

  • Age. Babies and young children are more likely to be exposed to lead than are older children. You can chew the paint off of the walls and furniture of wood, and their hands may be contaminated with lead dust. Young children also absorb lead more easily, and is more harmful to them than it is for adults and older children.
  • Living in an old house. Although the use of lead-based paint has been banned since the 1970s, the old houses and buildings often preserved remains of this painting. The people of the renovation of an old house, are at a higher risk.
  • Certain hobbies. Manufacture of glass colors and some jewelry requires the use of lead solder. Refinishing antique furniture can be put in contact with the layers of lead-based paint.
  • Live in developing countries. Developing countries often have less strict rules with regard to the exposure to lead than do developed countries. American families who adopt a child from another country might want to have the child's blood tested for lead poisoning. Immigrant and refugee children should also be tested.

Lead can harm an unborn child. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, take special care to avoid exposure to lead.

Complications

Exposure to even low levels of lead can cause damage over time, especially in children. The biggest risk is to the development of the brain, where the irreversible damage that can occur. Higher levels can damage the kidneys and the nervous system in children and adults. The high levels of lead can cause seizures, loss of consciousness and death.

Prevention

Simple measures can help protect you and your family from lead poisoning:

  • Wash hands and toys. To help reduce hand-to-mouth transfer of contaminated dust or soil, wash your children's hands after playing outdoors, before eating and before bedtime. Wash your toys regularly.
  • Clean dusty surfaces. Clean the floors with a damp mop and clean the furniture, window frames and other dusty surfaces with a damp cloth.
  • Take off your shoes before entering the house. This will help to maintain a base of lead in the soil outside.
  • Let the water run cold. If you have older plumbing lead content of pipes or fittings, run the cold water for at least a minute before using it. Do not use hot tap water to make baby formula or to cook with.
  • Prevent children from playing on the floor. Provide them with a sandbox cover when not in use. The plant of the grass or cover bare soil with mulch.
  • Eat a healthy diet. Regular meals and good nutrition can help reduce the absorption of lead. Children especially need adequate amounts of calcium, iron and vitamin C in your diet to help keep the lead is absorbed.
  • Keep your house well-maintained. If your home has lead-based paint, check regularly to peel the paint and fix problems promptly. Try not to sand, which generates particles of dust containing lead.

Lead poisoning

Diagnosis

Your child's health care provider may recommend that your child be tested for lead in the blood during routine checkups. Usually, this test is carried out at the ages of 1 and 2. Detection of lead may also be recommended for older children who have not been tested.

A simple blood test can detect lead poisoning. A small sample of blood is taken from a finger prick or from a vein. Lead levels in the blood are measured in micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL).

There is No level in blood lead. However, a level of 5 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL) is used to indicate a possible dangerous level for children. Children whose blood tests at the levels should be evaluated periodically. A child whose levels are very high, usually of 45 mcg/dL or higher — should be treated.

Treatment

The first step in the treatment of lead poisoning is to remove the source of the contamination. If you can not remove lead from your environment, you might be able to reduce the chance that it will cause problems.

For example, sometimes it is better to seal instead of removing lead paint. Your local health department may recommend ways to identify and reduce lead in your home and in the community.

For children and adults with relatively low levels of lead, you only have to avoid lead exposure may be sufficient to reduce the levels of lead in their blood.

The treatment of the upper levels

For the more serious cases, your doctor might recommend:

  • The chelation therapy. In this treatment, a medication that is administered orally, it joins the head so that it is excreted in the urine. Chelation therapy can be recommended for children with a blood level of 45 mcg/dL or higher and adults with high blood levels of lead or of the symptoms of lead poisoning.
  • ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelation therapy. Health care providers in the treatment of adults with blood lead levels greater than 45 mcg/dL of blood, and the children who can't tolerate the medication that is used in the conventional chelation therapy, most commonly with a chemical called calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). EDTA is given by injection.

Preparing for your appointment

If you think that you or your child has been exposed to lead, consult your health care provider or contact your local department of public health. A blood test can help to determine the levels of lead in their blood.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

  • Symptoms or changes in behavior that has been observed
  • Key personal information, including the place where you live and if you or your child has been close to sources of lead
  • All medications, vitamins or supplements that you or your child is taking, including dose
  • Questions to ask your provider

Lead poisoning, basic questions to ask your provider include:

  • What is likely the cause of these symptoms?
  • What tests are needed?
  • It is this condition likely temporary or chronic?
  • What is the best course of action?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider is likely to ask questions such as:

  • Have you recently moved into a different house or moved to a different school?
  • When was your house built? Are you renovating?
  • Do you have a new job that could expose you to lead?
  • Does your child have a sibling or playmate who has had lead poisoning?
Symptoms and treatment of Lead poisoning