does anyone know the affects of a high lead level in a 2 yr old?

Question

she was at 32 and we've got it down to 17. the docs want to do x-rays but their not saying exactly why!! does that mean it could affect her bones. we have worked with the health dept. and fixed the paint chips that was thought to be the cause. but her level is staying at 17 for 3 mons. she has not showed any problems or been sick which is odd for how high her levels were, but she is very limber!! almost circus stile, could the lead have anything to do with that, and any other ways to get lead levels down, like vit c, water, etc....

Answer 1

Mental retardation (among many other health related problems) is one very serious possibility of exposure to high levels of lead (particularly lead found in paint).

You must insist that your physician be specific with you as to the reason for which he is requesting xrays. You have a right (and a responsibility) to know and understand your daughter's medical care so that you can make informed decisions.

Answer 2

That level is very high and can have devastating effects on a small child. My daughter tested at 10 and the doctors were very alarmed by that, but a few weeks later she tested normal so they assumed the first test was contaminated. I researched then how to get her levels down, and the general consensus is, remove anything containing lead from her environment. In an old house, that can prove to be difficult. But some toys have lead in them, too! Usually the cheaper toys made overseas. Make sure she keeps things out of her mouth, and get rid of any toy with "cheap" metal in it.
Best of luck!

Answer 3

Lead can be stored in the bones. so even though her blood level comes down, the lead stored in her bones (if there is any) can be released into her bloodstream later in life and cause problems. The test to check this isn't an x-ray but it's like an x-ray.

I'm not an expert in this but that's my guess as to why they would do this test.

Answer 4

Dr. John Rosen, a pediatrician responsible for treating lead poisoned children at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, states: "Lead at remarkably low concentrations has the unique capability of robbing kids of such skills as reading, writing, concentration and abstract thinking. The set of things that are required for academic success and employment success can be lost forever, and all of that comes at a remarkable societal cost."

The difficulty of detecting lead poisoning means that blood lead levels are used to identify children with dangerous amounts of lead. In October, 1991, concluding a lengthy study, the federal government's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) redefined toxicity as blood lead levels at or above 10 micrograms per deciliter (mg/dL), the level at which some adverse health effects have been observed. No lowest threshold has been identified for the harmful effects of lead, although some studies have suggested harmful effects at levels even lower than 10 mg/dL.

Many experts believe that when a child's blood lead level exceeds 10 mg/dL, there is a high probability of permanent neurological damage. Even at these relatively low exposures, decreased intelligence, short-term memory loss, reading under-achievement, impairment of visual-motor function, loss of auditory memory, poor perceptual integration, poor classroom behavior, and impaired reaction time occur in children.

Virtually every part of the body is affected by lead. Lead has no biological value and competes with metals that are essential to the body, such as zinc, iron and calcium. For example, lead interferes with bone formation by blocking absorption of calcium, which affects memory storage and the differentiation of cells in the nervous system. Lead is stored in the bone, matrix, and in pregnant women, this lead can be passed on to the unborn child.

Lead's effect on the brain results in less ability to store information and draw upon past information and less ability to inhibit responses to environmental stimuli. Lead also attacks the peripheral nervous system, which controls the muscles and organs outside the brain, causes decrease in muscle strength and at high doses, the syndromes of the wrist-drop and the foot-drop.

Lead accumulates in the kidneys, causing kidney disease and having far-reaching endocrinologic effects. There is a major impact on the enzymatic functions of the liver and on the immune system function of the spleen. It results in anemia by interfering with the synthesis of hemoglobin. Lead affects the reproductive functions of both men and women by interference with enzymes that process testosterone and other androgens.

Answer 5

Have your doctor monitor the child for a while,

Answer 6

That should explain what you need to know.


http://www.webmd.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?query=lead%20levels&sourceType=undefined

Answer 7

well they want to try to see any visible led with the x-ray.