RT Book, Section
A1 Kaila, Rahul
A1 Louie, Jeffrey P.
A2 Zaoutis, Lisa B.
A2 Chiang, Vincent W.
SR Print(0)
ID 1146123865
T1 Lead, Other Metals, and Chelation Therapy
T2 Comprehensive Pediatric Hospital Medicine, 2e
YR 2017
FD 2017
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9780071829281
LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1146123865
RD 2023/03/24
AB Lead  is  a  highly  toxic  metal,  and  exposure  to  it  can  produce  a  wide  range  of  adverse  health  effects.1,2  It  is  a  soft,  pliable  metal  that  resists  corrosion  and  when  ingested,  has  a  sweet  taste.3,4  Lead  is  a  ubiquitous  environmental  containment  found  in  water  and  soil.1  The  most  common  cause  of  childhood  lead  poisoning  is  ingestion  of  lead-containing  paint  chips  or  lead-contaminated  dust  as  a  result  of  normal  hand-to-mouth  activity.5,6  Until  1978,  lead  was  commonly  used  in  paints  to  provide  pigment  and  color  stability.  Other  potential  sources  include  ingestion  of  drinking  water,  soil,  and  food.7  According  to  the  US  Department  of  Housing  and  Urban  Development  (HUD),  about  25%  of  the  nation’s  current  housing  stock—some  24  million  homes—still  contains  significant  lead-based  paint  hazards.8  Although  lead  paint  that  is  intact  does  not  pose  an  immediate  concern,  lead  paint  that  is  deteriorating  or  is  disturbed  during  repair  or  renovation  activities  creates  a  hazard.  There  is  new  evidence  that  lead  poisoning  is  harmful  at  blood  levels  that  were  once  thought  safe.9-11  The  effects  of  sustained  exposure,  such  as  learning  disabilities  have  been  observed  in  children  with  lead  levels  as  low  as  5  μg/dL,  with  no  evidence  of  a  threshold.11  In  2012,  the  Centers  for  Disease  Control  and  Prevention  (CDC)  revised  the  definition  of  lead  toxicity  and  lowered  the  “normal”  blood  lead  level  value  to  below  5  μg/dL.12