Threshold Lowered for Lead Poisoning In Children

The threshold level for defining lead poisoning in children has been lowered for the first time in 20 years.

High levels of lead in a child's blood can cause coma, convulsions, and death, and even low levels can cause decreased intelligence and impaired hearing.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; Atlanta, GA, USA) has announced officially that the new reference value for lead poisoning was based on the population of US children aged 1-5 years whose blood lead levels are in the highest 2.5% of children tested. The threshold level for defining lead poisoning in children has been lowered from 10 µg/dL down to 5 µg/dL.

About 450,000 children aged 1-5 years living in the US have blood lead levels above the new standard, up from 250,000 with lead levels greater than 10 µg/dL of blood under the previous threshold. The leading sources of lead exposure to US children are lead-based paint, which was banned for use in housing in 1978, and lead-contaminated dust.

Since fingerstick samples can be contaminated during collection of the specimen, an initial elevated result obtained by a fingerstick sample should be repeated with a venous test for confirmation, usually within a week to a month after the first test. Follow-up testing is then used to monitor the persistence of an elevated blood lead test and the original recommendation was whenever a child's blood lead level is higher than 10 µg/dL. Those with persistent lead levels above 15-19 µg/dL that remain elevated for three months or more and those with initial tests greater than 20 µg/dL should have their home surroundings evaluated to determine the source of the lead exposure.

Christopher J. Portier, PhD, the director of the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health, said, "Parents can act without the CDC being there.” He suggested they could contact local health departments for testing of paint and dust to detect high lead levels. The CDC also recommends parents regularly wash children's hands and toys, and wet-mop floors and windowsills, in addition to preventing children from playing in bare soil.

Related Links:
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention