What if a child doesn have health insurance that will cover a blood lead test?
At lower blood lead levels, a child with lead poisoning usually does not look or feel sick. The only sure way to know is to get a blood lead test. In the past, lead exposure was often not diagnosed until a child had a very high blood lead level (≥ 70 mcg/dL) with symptoms of lead toxicity such as severe fatigue, decreased muscle coordination, seizures, and coma. Children with these symptoms require immediate hospitalization and treatment. However, blood lead levels in this range are now extremely uncommon. The vast majority of children with lead poisoning will not have any obvious signs or symptoms.
