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How
can I tell if my child has been exposed to lead?
Signs of lead poisoning
are not always easy to see. Children can be poisoned by lead and may not look
or act sick. Many children who are lead-poisoned look and act healthy.
Sometimes the vague symptoms may be mistaken for other illnesses such as
upset stomach or flu. Because of this, lead poisoning may go unrecognized.
Your health care provider
will ask you some questions to see if your child is at risk for lead
poisoning. The only way to know for sure if your child has been exposed to
lead is to have their blood tested. Blood tests are used to find out how much
lead is in a child's blood. The test is simple. Your health care provider
takes blood from your child and a lab will test the blood.
Some
possible signs and symptoms of lead poisoning in children are:
- Tiredness or loss of energy
- Hyperactivity
- Irritability or crankiness
- Reduced attention span
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss
- Reduced attention span
- Trouble sleeping
- Constipation
- Aches or pains in stomach
How
can lead poisoning affect my child?
Children can get lead in
their bodies by swallowing or breathing in dust that contains lead. Lead is a
poison that affects every organ and system in the body. There is not function
or need for lead. Very high levels of lead exposure can cause coma, seizures
and death. Even a little lead can make children slower learners. Other health
effects include:
- Brain damage and lower intelligence
- Behavior and learning problems
- Hyperactivity
- Impaired speech and language
- Slowed growth
- Kidney and liver damage
- Hearing damage
The
effects of lead on a child can be permanent and irreversible.
What
are the symptoms of lead poisoning in adults?
People with high levels
of lead in their bodies often do not seem sick. The symptoms that occur are
very general and can happen for many reasons. Overexposure to lead can cause
serious damage even if the person has no symptoms. A blood lead test is the
only way to find out if an adult has lead poisoning. Lead is a powerful
poison that stays in your body a long time. It can build up in your body to
dangerous levels even if you are exposed only to small amounts of lead over a
long period. An elevated blood lead level shows that lead is building up in
your body faster than it can be eliminated.
Signs
or symptoms that may be related to over-exposure to lead are:
- Tiredness or weakness
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Headache
- Difficulty concentrating
- Aches or pains in stomach
- Loss of appetite
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Weight loss
How
does lead affect adults?
- Impotency
- Brain and nervous system damage
- High blood pressure
- Digestive problems
- Kidney problems
- Anemia
- Reproductive system problems
- Hearing, vision and muscle
coordination problems
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