Lead poisoning

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Plumbism

There are many possible symptoms of lead poisoning. Lead can affect many different parts of the body. Over time, even low levels of lead exposure can harm a child's mental development. The possible health problems get worse as the level of lead in the blood gets higher. Possible complications include:

• Reduced IQ
• Slowed body growth
• Hearing problems
• Behavior or attention problems
• Failure at school
• Kidney damage

The symptoms of lead poisoning may include:

• Irritability
• Aggressive behavior
• Low appetite and energy
• Difficulty sleeping
• Headaches
• Reduced sensations
• Loss of previous developmental skills (in young children)
• Anemia
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain and cramping (usually the first sign of a high, toxic dose of lead poison)
• Very high levels may cause vomiting, staggering gait, muscle weakness, seizures, or coma

Review Date: 05/02/2005
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by William D. Whetstone M.D., Division of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.