Control of Childhood Lead Poisoning

Abstract

THE CONTROL of lead poisoning in chil¬ dren is a subject of increasing interest among physicians, the industries using lead in their products, public health workers, and in¬ formed citizens. This interest has grown rapidly in the past several years as a better understanding of the magnitude and the seriousness of the problem has developed. Persons and agencies in several cities have initiated efforts to control the illness. None of these efforts is complete and the problem continues to be serious in even the cities with the most advanced programs. Nature of Lead Poisoning Childhood lead poisoning occurs primarily among children aged 1 to 4 years. Severe cases may result in death or mental retardation. This condition results from the accumulation of excessive amounts of lead in the body. Accumula¬ tion usually occurs from chronic exposure but may occasionally be produced by acute exposure as in the case of ingestion of a solid lead object (1-7). Symptoms of the condition may be absent, are often vague, and may be easily confused with those of a number of other illnesses. Early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to cure or minimize the effects of the illness. Lab¬ oratory and other diagnostic tests are difficult, time-consuming, expensive, and in many communities they are not available. Lack of accurate diagnosis and reporting of all cases hampers prevention aind control of the illness. Reporting is also a basic step in the develop-Mr. Tiboni was chief of the accident control section,