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Introduction
Lead poisoning occurs when a person swallows, absorbs,
or inhales lead in any form. Too much lead in the body
can cause irreversible problems in growth and
development in children, including:
Learning disabilities.
Behavior disorders.
Slowed growth.
Impaired hearing.
Causes
Lead poisoning is usually caused
by months or years of exposure to small amounts of
lead in the home, work, or day care environment. It
can also happen very quickly with exposure to high
concentrations.
Sources of lead exposure include:
- Contaminated air (including industrial
emissions), water, and soil.
- Eating food or juice stored in cans made with
lead or glazed with lead-based glazes, which are
not manufactured in the United States.
- Eating food or juice stored in cans made with lead or
glazed with lead-based glazes.
- Dust and soil. These can be contaminated with lead
from old paint or past emissions of leaded gasoline.
- Jobs and hobbies. A number of activities can expose
participants to lead. These include making pottery or
stained glass, refinishing furniture, doing home
repairs, and using indoor firing ranges.
Symptoms
- Headache
- Irritability
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Wrist drop
Treatment
Treatment for lead poisoning begins with removing
the sources of lead and providing balanced nutrition.
These measures are usually sufficient to limit
exposure to lead and reduce lead levels in the body.
Old paint chips and dirt are the most common sources
of lead in the home. Lead-based paint and the dust and
dirt that come from its decomposition should be
removed by professionals. In the workplace, removal of
sources usually involves removing lead dust that is in
the air, as well as making sure adults don't bring
contaminated dust or dirt into the home on clothes
worn for work.
Chelating agents are used for severe lead
poisoning. Chelating agents are medications that bind
with lead in blood and both soft and bony tissues and
eliminate it quickly from the body, usually through
the urine. The use of chelating agents for lead
poisoning is still being studied, and there is no
single treatment or drug of choice. In general, drug
treatment is recommended when blood lead levels are
above 45 micrograms per deciliter or when there are
symptoms of lead poisoning, especially lead
encephalopathy. The decision to use chelating agents
depends on how long the child has been exposed to
lead, how high the blood lead level is, what the
symptoms are, and whether the blood lead level remains
high even after the source of lead is removed or
reduced and nutrition is improved.
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