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Effects of Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children

Children under six years of age are especially susceptible to lead poisoning, as their bodies are still growing and their nervous systems still developing. In addition, the exposure to lead per pound of body weight is greater in children than in adults due to children’s smaller size.

The brains of fetuses and young children are uniquely vulnerable to toxic insult for several reasons. Lead can cross the placenta and the fetal blood brain barrier and harm the fetus’ developing brain and nervous system. Lead can harm infants and children as their brains are rapidly developing, with crucial genetically programmed changes occurring throughout childhood.

Young children also play in certain ways that can increase their exposure to lead-contaminated paint and dust, including playing and crawling on the ground and frequently putting their hands in their mouths. When leaded paint in older homes begins to deteriorate, young children can ingest lead-contaminated paint dust or paint chips, which tend to have a slightly sweet taste due to the lead content.

Measurable adverse behavior changes have been found in children as young as 2 years of age who have been exposed to lead [1]. However, neurotoxic and behavioral effects of lead exposure may not be observed until the child enters school.

"Health Effects of Lead in Children and Adults". Used with permission of Dr. Ben Balzer, The Lead Education and Abatement Design Group, Australia. Available from: http://www.lead.org.au/bblp/bblp.html [Attention: Non-MDH link]

Studies have found that childhood exposure to lead contributes to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) [2], hyperactivity, and distractibility [3,4,5]. Exposure to lead has been found to increase the likelihood of dropping out of high school, having a reading disability, having lower vocabulary [6], and having lower class standing in high school. Exposure to lead has also been found to increase risk of antisocial and delinquent behavior [7].

In addition to negative changes in behavior and cognitive functioning, lead poisoning can damage a child’s kidneys and reproductive system, decrease stature and growth, and impair hearing acuity [8]. The cognitive and physical changes due to lead poisoning may be permanent.

References

1. Mendelsohn AL, Dreyer BP, Fierman AH, Rosen CM, Legano LA, Kruger HA, et al. J Dev Behav Pediatr.1999; 20:425-431.

2. Tuthill RW. Hair lead levels related to children’s classroom attention-deficit behavior. Arch Environ Health. 1996; 51 (3):214-20.

3. Calderon J, Navarro ME, Jimenez-Capdeville ME, Santos-Diaz MA, Golden A, Rodriguez-Leyva I, et al. Exposure to arsenic and lead and neuropsychological development in Mexican children. Environ Res. 2001; 85(2):69-76.

4. Mendelsohn AL, Dreyer BP, Fierman AH, Rosen CM, Legano LA, Kruger HA, et al. Low-level lead exposure and behavior in early childhood. Pediatrics. 1998; 101 (3):E10.

5. Minder B, Das-Smaal EA, Brand EF, and Orlebeke JF. Exposure to lead and specific attentional problems in schoolchildren. J Learn Disabil. 1994; 27 (6):393-9.

6. Needleman HL, Schell A, Bellinger DC, Leviton A, and Allred EN. The long term effects of exposure to low doses of lead in childhood, an 11-year follow-up report. New Eng J Med. 1990; 322 (2):83-8.

7. Needleman HL, Riess JA, Tobin MJ, Biesecker GE, and Greenhouse JB. Bone lead levels and delinquent behavior. JAMA. 1996; 275 (5):363-9.

8. United States Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Lead (Update). Atlanta, GA: DHHS ATSDR; July 1999. 587pp.

Last Modified: 22-Jan-2010 07:55:27 am

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