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Lead Health Effects
Region 5 Lead Awareness
National Information
How Lead Affects the Body
Children under the age of six and unborn babies are those at greatest risk of the health effects associated with exposure to lead. They are particularly vulnerable because at that age, they have smaller body masses and their growing bodies absorb more lead. Lead affects practically all systems within the body. It is a powerful neurotoxin that interferes with the development of the brain and central nervous systems as well as the kidney and blood-forming organs and can cause a wide range of health effects. Those health effects can vary from child to child.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has set an action level for blood lead levels in children at
10 µg/dL; however, there is widespread recognition of the fact that there is no such thing as a "safe" level of lead exposure. Even low levels of exposure to lead (less that 10 µg/dL) can result in IQ deficits, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, stunted or slowed growth, and impaired hearing. At increasingly high levels of exposure, a child may suffer kidney damage; become mentally retarded, fall into a coma, and even die from lead poisoning. Lead poisoning has been associated with a significantly increased high-school dropout rate, as well as increases in juvenile delinquency and criminal behavior.
Symptoms of Lead Poisoning
It is often difficult for a parent to realize on their own that their child has too much lead in their blood. The symptoms of lead poisoning can be subtle—they are easily confused with other, less worrisome problems and some symptoms take years to develop. For instance, a child may exhibit symptoms similar to those associated with the flu, such as stomach aches and headaches. Other typical symptoms include irritability and loss of appetite. The bottom line is: the only way to know for sure whether or not a child has a lead-related problem is to test the child for lead.
Currently, other than eliminating exposure to lead and providing children with a healthy diet, there is no known effective treatment for children who have blood lead levels under 45µg/dL. These children form the vast majority of children exposed to lead. Kids whose lead level is greater than or equal to 45µg/dL should immediately receive chelation therapy, a medical treatment that draws some of the lead out of their system.
One way to reduce the impact of lead in children who have blood lead levels under 45µg/dL is to reduce the amount that gets absorbed or retained by the child and by eliminating the source. On average, children under six will absorb/retain about 50% of the lead they ingest. That percentage can be reduced through good nutrition, including adequate levels of calcium, iron, vitamin C, and zinc. The consumption of fatty foods should be kept to a minimum, although children under the age of two actually need some fat in their diet. And a child whose stomach is empty will absorb/retain more lead than a child who has just eaten.
Similarly, pregnant women should be careful to minimize their exposure to lead, as lead crosses the placenta and adversely affects the developing fetus.
In Region 5, the Cleveland Department of Public Health
and City of Shaker Heights in Ohio adopted a new lower level of awareness of 5 µg/dL. This aggressive action was taken because of the high prevalence of childhood lead poisoning in their jurisdictions and emerging evidence that show that low levels of lead exposure may be detrimental to the health of a child.
For more information about getting tested for lead poisoning and lead poisoning prevention, contact your local health or State Health department.
Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Environmental Health
Lead-Based Paint and Asbestos Abatement
Indiana State Department of Health
Indiana State Department of Health - Public Health Programs - Children's Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
Michigan Department of Community Health Lead and Healthy Homes Section
MDCH - Lead Poisoning
Minnesota Department of Health Lead Poisoning Prevention
Lead Poisoning Prevention: Environmental Health - Minnesota Dept. of Health
Ohio Department of Health Division of Environmental Health Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
Lead Poisoning Prevention
Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services Divisions of Public Health Asbestos and Lead Section
Lead-Safe Wisconsin - Home Page