Lead poisoning

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Lead poisoning

Alternative Names:

Plumbism

Symptoms:

There are many possible symptoms of lead poisoning.Lead can affect many different parts of the body. Over time, even low levels of lead exposure can harm a child's mental development. The possible health problems get worse as the level of lead in the blood gets higher. Possible complications include:

Reduced IQ
Slowed body growth
Hearing problems
Behavior or attention problems
Failure at school
Kidney damage

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The symptoms of lead poisoning may include:

Irritability
Aggressive behavior
Lowappetite and energy
Difficulty sleeping
Headaches
Reduced sensations
Loss of previous developmental skills (in young children)
Anemia
Constipation
Abdominal pain and cramping (usually the first sign of a high, toxic dose of lead poison)
Very high levels may cause vomiting, staggering gait, muscle weakness, seizures, or coma

References:

Bleecker ML, et al. Differential effects of lead exposure on components of verbal memory. Occup Environ Med. 2005 Mar;62(3):181-7.

Chen A, Dietrick, KN, Ware, JH, et al. IQ and Blood Lead from 2 to 7 Years of Age: Are the Effects in Older Children the Residual of High Blood Lead Concentrations in 2-Year-Olds? Environ Health Perspect. 2005 May;113(5):597-601.

Marcus, S.Lead Toxicity. eMedicine. October 4, 2004. Available at: http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic293.htm. Accessed May 5, 2005.

Eliminating Childhood Lead Poisoning: A Federal Strategy Targeting Lead Paint Hazards. Washington, DC. President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, Environmental Protection Agency; February 2000. Availableat http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/fedstrategy2000.pdf. Accessed May 5, 2005.

Tong S, et al. Environmental Lead Exposure: A Public Health Problem of Global Dimensions. Bull World Health Organ. 2000; 78(9): 1068-77.

Wright RO, et al.Association between iron deficiency and blood lead level in a longitudinal analysis of children followed in an urban primary care clinic. J Pediatr. 2003;142: 9?14.