Lead poisoning is a debilitating, potentially deadly condition that affects thousands of Americans each year. And children are especially at risk.
Developing bodies are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, over 167,000 children aged 0 to 15 were tested for lead poisoning in Pennsylvania in 2022. Over 7,000 children under 6 had a confirmed elevated blood lead level.
Learn more about how people become exposed to lead and how you can protect yourself and your children from lead exposure risk.
What Is Lead Poisoning?
Lead poisoning occurs when you encounter large amounts of lead by breathing or swallowing a substance containing lead. Also known as plumbism from lead’s chemical element symbol, Pb, lead poisoning can damage almost every organ in your body.
Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of lead poisoning, as it can disrupt their growth, development, and behavior.
Lead exposure increases a child’s risk of developing:
- Behavior disorders
- Impaired hearing
- Learning disabilities
- Slowed growth
Adults are not immune to the damaging effects of lead poisoning, either.
Lead exposure can damage the adult:
- Blood
- Brain
- Kidneys
- Nervous system
- Stomach
It can also lead to high blood pressure.
Lead poisoning is typically caused by prolonged exposure to small amounts of lead over months or years. However, it can also occur quickly if someone is exposed to a substantial amount of lead. The higher the amount of lead in a person’s body, the more severe the symptoms are.
Symptoms of Lead Poisoning
Lead exposure symptoms are subtle — if they’re detectable at all. They often mimic the symptoms of other health or behavioral problems.
The key is to identify potential sources of lead exposure and then be tested.
Lead poisoning symptoms in children
Children with lead poisoning may experience:
- Behavior problems, including anger, moodiness, or hyperactivity.
- Brain or nervous system damage.
- Lack of appetite or energy.
- Learning difficulties and difficulty concentrating.
- Seizures, paralysis, or coma (in severe cases).
- Small stature for their age.
- Vomiting, constipation, or stomach pain.
What blood lead level is dangerous for children?
There is no safe level of lead in children’s blood. Even low levels of lead that were once considered safe have been linked to harmful changes in intelligence, behavior, and health. Children are most at risk because they are still developing physically and mentally.
Lead poisoning symptoms in adults
Adults can experience similar changes in mood and behavior, including difficulty concentrating and remembering.
Other lead poisoning symptoms in adults may include:
- Changes in behavior, mood, personality, or sleep patterns.
- Constipation.
- Headaches.
- High blood pressure.
- Joint pain.
- Memory loss or trouble thinking clearly.
- Miscarriage and premature birth for women.
- Muscle weakness.
Extremely high levels of lead can result in progressive symptoms, including:
- Seizure
- Coma
- Paralysis
- Death
Can you ever fully recover from lead poisoning?
When lead levels are very high in the bloodstream, sometimes chelation therapy is needed. Chelation therapy involves taking medications that bind to lead in the body and help to remove it through bodily wastes.
While chelation therapy can remove the lead, treatment cannot reverse any damage already caused by lead poisoning.
How Are People Exposed to Lead?
The most common source of lead in homes is lead-based paint. It is frequently found in houses built before 1978, when it was banned — especially those built before 1950.
Not only does the paint itself contain toxic amounts of lead, but the dust created by the paint flaking apart can also enter the air and soil. There, it can be ingested, inhaled, or touched.
People who live in homes built before 1978 are at an increased risk of lead exposure. Homes older than that likely contain lead paint, which then contaminates dust particles. About 24 million homes in the United States have an unsafe level of lead from decades-old, deteriorating paint.
If the paint is intact and in good condition, it usually doesn’t pose a risk. But when it starts to peel, chip, crack, or become damp, it can release harmful lead dust and should be addressed immediately.
Lead-based paint is especially dangerous on surfaces children might chew or that experience frequent use, such as:
- Doors and door frames.
- Stairs, railings, banisters, and porches.
- Window frames and sills.
Children absorb lead at a higher rate and are more likely to ingest or inhale lead because they frequently put their hands in their mouths or chew/swallow non-food items. Children with lead poisoning often show no obvious symptoms and may appear completely healthy. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends routine testing of babies for lead in the blood at ages 12 months and 24 months to catch exposure early and prevent long-term harm.
How can I test my home for lead?
If your house was built before 1978, you can test yourself by purchasing a lead test kit. You can also contact your local health department to see what home inspection services are available in your area. The best way to avoid lead poisoning is to prevent and reduce exposure to lead.
Other common sources of harmful lead exposure include:
- Contact with jewelry or toys made of lead or decorated with lead-based paint.
- Contact with lead dust.
- Drinking water, which picks up lead as it flows through lead pipes or pipes soldered with lead.
- Folk remedies using herbs and vitamins from other countries that may contain lead.
- Food or liquids served in glass or ceramics containing lead, such as lead crystal or pottery.
- Hobbies, such as DIY home repairs, furniture refinishing, shooting ranges, stock car racing, hunting, fishing, and more.
- Industrial pollution exposure.
- Jobs, such as auto body work, glassmaking, firearms, metalworking, smelting, battery recycling, mining, painting, and renovations/repairs.
- Living or spending lots of time in older homes and buildings, especially those built before 1950.
- Products like candy, pottery, stained glass, ceramic cookware, and more from countries that do not regulate lead levels.
- Soil, yards, and playgrounds containing dirt with high levels of lead from leaded gasoline spills, industrial sources, or other contaminants. Lead can also occur naturally in high concentrations in some areas.
Lead Poisoning Prevention and Early Detection
Here are some ways to limit your exposure to lead:
Home safety measures
Ways to make your older home safer include:
- Check your water pipes — Contact your water utility or a licensed plumber to find out if your service line is made of lead.
- Hire certified lead professionals before starting any renovation, repair, or painting — These activities can release toxic lead dust. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can help you find certified renovation firms across the country.
- Keep painted surfaces in top shape — Clean dust off regularly using a wet cloth or paper towel.
- Prevent lead dust from spreading — Remove shoes at the door and use doormats inside and outside entryways.
Occupational precautions
Tips to prevent lead exposure at work:
- Avoid eating or touching your face while working with lead, and wash your hands before every meal.
- Don’t put lead materials in your mouth, such as sinkers, solder, or glazes.
- Keep lead-related materials out of office spaces to prevent contamination.
- Shower and change clothes before getting in your car or entering your home.
- Use proper ventilation and safety gear when melting or shaping lead.
- Wash work clothes separately from your family’s laundry.
If someone in your household renovates older homes, learn about lead-safe work practices. There are specialized lead management strategies in place to protect users and the environment for certain businesses, such as outdoor shooting ranges.
Safe practices for children
Children absorb lead at a higher rate and are more likely to touch, ingest, or inhale lead because they often put their hands in their mouths or chew/swallow non-food items.
Here are some tips to help prevent your child’s exposure to lead:
- Keep your home clean and dust-free.
- Eat foods that are high in calcium, iron, and vitamin C, as a diet rich in these minerals can help keep kids healthy and reduce the body’s absorption of lead.
- Get your child tested for lead exposure.
- Have kids play on the grass rather than on blacktop or dirt.
- Hire certified professionals for renovations if your home is older.
- Run your water for a few minutes if you have old pipes.
- Shower and change as soon as you get home from work if you’re in a job that puts you at risk for lead exposure.
- Wash bottles, pacifiers, and toys that have been on the floor or the ground.
- Wash your hands frequently, but especially before eating.
Contact
Remember: No amount of lead in a child’s blood is considered safe.
The only way to know if a child has been exposed is through a simple blood lead test. Rather than relying on the symptoms, it’s better to be aware of the sources of lead and be tested if you or your children have had a potential exposure.
If you or your children have potentially been in contact with lead, make an appointment with your health care provider today to be tested for lead.
If you have any questions about lead exposure sources or other lead concerns, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which operates a lead information line. By calling 1-800-440-5323, you can get more information about your potential lead exposures.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on , and was last reviewed on .