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Expert Q&A
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| By Aneema Van Groenou, M.D. General Medicine | ||
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What are the symptoms of lead exposure?
The EPA estimates that 9,150 children are expected to have an IQ score below 70 as a result of their exposure to lead in the United States. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1990, persistent lead toxicity was linked to impaired academic success, including a "seven-fold increase in failure to graduate from high school, lower class standing, greater absenteeism, impairment of reading skills sufficiently extensive to be labeled reading disability (indicated by scores two grades below the expected scores), and deficits in vocabulary, fine motor skills, reaction time and hand-eye coordination."
On an individual basis, however, discovering the effects of lead poisoning is often very difficult because the symptoms are subtle and non-specific, meaning they could be caused by many other factors as well. Often, the profound affects are only discovered after extensive testing by a neuro-psychologist. If you suspect that your child may have lead exposure, look for the following symptoms:
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Anemia (low iron levels)
- Weight loss
- Poor attention span
- Noticeable learning difficulty
- Slowed speech development
- Hyperactivity
If you notice any of these symptoms and you think they may be related to lead – even if you are not sure – talk with your doctor about testing. Catching lead exposure in children is key because children's brains are still developing, and elevated lead levels sustained over a period of time can damage the central nervous system.
The sooner exposure is discovered, the sooner the lead can be removed from the environment to prevent the dangers of persistent toxicity and the sooner your child can be treated. Lead poisoning is entirely preventable.
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