Lead poisoning

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Lead poisoning

Alternative Names:

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Plumbism

Home Treatment:

You can reduce your exposure to lead. Consider the following steps:

If you suspectyou may have leadedpaint in your house, get advice on safe removal from the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 800-RID-LEAD or the National Information Center at 800-LEAD-FYI.
Keep your home as dust free as possible.
Everyone should wash their hands before eating.
Throw out old painted toys if you do not know whether the paint contains lead.
Let tap water run for a minute before drinking or cooking with it.
If your water has been tested high in lead, consider installing an effective filtering device or switch to bottled water for drinking and cooking.
Avoid canned goods from foreign countries until the ban on lead soldered cans goes into effect.
If imported wine containers have a lead foil wrapper, wipe the rim and neck of the bottle with a towel moistened with lemon juice, vinegar, or wine before using.
Don't store wine, spirits, or vinegar-based salad dressings in lead crystal decanters for long periods of time, as lead can leach out into the liquid.

Another excellent source of information is the National Lead Information Center at(800) 424-5323.

Before Calling Emergency:

Try to identify the following information:

The patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product or the object you think had lead in it
The date/time the lead was swallowed or inhaled
The amount swallowed or inhaled

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:

If someone has severe symptoms from possible lead exposure, such as vomiting or seizures, call 911 immediately.

For other symptoms that you think may be caused by lead poisoning, call your local poison control center.

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What to expect at the emergency room:

Except in severe cases where someone has received a high toxic dose, a trip to the emergency room is not necessary. Contact your health care provider or department of public health if you suspect possible low-level lead exposure. A blood lead test can help identify whether a problem exists. Over 10 micrograms per deciliter is a concern. In many states, blood screening is recommended for young children at risk.