How is lead poisoning treated?
The most common treatment for extremely elevated lead levels is chelation therapy. Chelation is a process by which a drug, referred to as a chelating agent, is administered to the child (or adult) either orally or intravenously. The chelating agent works by binding itself to the lead in the body’s soft tissues, thereby reducing the toxicity level. Unfortunately, the efficacy of chelating agents for reducing the lead burden in the bones is quite limited. In-hospital chelation requires a week’s stay and can be quite uncomfortable. Not only may the child be traumatized by the hospitalization itself, but there are often post chelation side effects as well, such as decreased appetite and lethargy. Many years ago, chelation was accomplished through a series of very painful intramuscular injections of dimercaprol (BAL) used in combination with an IV treatment of CaEDTA. There are many side effects associated with BAL, which is extremely toxic when used with iron supplements.
Special drugs, called chelators, may be used to treat children with very high blood lead levels. These medications are given in the hospital either through intravenous or intramuscular injections or by mouth. The medicine attaches to the lead and pulls it out of the body in the urine. If the lead level is very high, more than one treatment session may be necessary to lower the amount of lead in the blood. Even after treatment, some children s blood lead levels never decrease to less than 10 mcg/dL. Children with elevated blood levels may be placed on special diets and need to be monitored closely to lower their risk of lead related complications. How can lead poisoning be prevented? Lead poisoning can be prevented by taking simple precautions around the house. These methods include the following steps: • Cleaning up paint chips and peeling paint.
Treatment for lead poisoning includes removing the source of lead exposure and eating a balanced diet. Adequate nutrition, especially sufficient iron intake, helps prevent absorption of lead. Often this treatment approach is enough to reduce lead levels in the body. If this is not successful or if lead levels are very high, chelation therapy may be used. Chelation therapy involves taking medications that bind to lead in the body and help speed its elimination through the kidneys. It is important to make sure that children are not exposed to lead. The most effective means of prevention is to keep children out of buildings that contain lead-based paint until the lead has been either removed or sealed away and the environment is certified by professionals to be free of lead residues.
Treatment for lead poisoning varies depending on how much lead is in the blood. Small amounts can often be treated rather easily; the most important part of therapy is reduction of lead exposure. Gradually, as the body naturally eliminates the lead, the level of lead in the blood will fall. Kids with severe cases and extremely high lead levels in their blood will be hospitalized to receive a medication called a chelating agent, which chemically binds with lead, through an IV to make the lead weaker so the body can get rid of it naturally. All siblings of a child found to have lead poisoning also should be tested. Doctors will report cases of lead poisoning to the public health department. Reviewed by: Kate M.
