Health Care Guidance for Lead-Poisoned Children

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that medical providers and public health take action according to the blood lead level (BLL).

CDC recommended actions for follow-up and case management of children based on confirmed BLLs

Venous BLL less than 3.5 μg/dL*

• Anticipatory guidance about common sources of lead exposure and how to prevent exposure
• Routine assessment of developmental milestones and nutritional status with a focus on iron and calcium intake
• Follow-up blood lead testing at recommended intervals based on child's age

Venous BLL 3.5 to 19 μg/dL

• Follow recommendations for BLL < 3.5 μg/dL as described above
• Environmental exposure history to identify potential sources of lead Environmental investigation** of the home to identify potential sources of lead exposure
• Ensure iron sufficiency via testing and treatment Nutritional counseling related to calcium and iron intake and refer to supportive services, as needed Assess development and refer to supportive services, as needed
• Follow-up blood lead monitoring at recommended intervals

Venous BLL 20 to 44 μg/dL

• Follow recommendations for BLL 3.5-19 μg/dL as described above
• Complete history and physical exam assessing for signs and symptoms related to lead
• Environmental investigation of the home and lead hazard reduction
• Consider obtaining an abdominal X-ray to evaluate for lead-based paint chips and other radiopaque foreign bodies, especially in children in whom pica or mouthing of lead-contaminated surfaces is a concern; initiate bowel decontamination if indicated
• Contact a Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) or poison control center for guidance

Venous BLL greater than or equal to 45 μg/dL

• Follow recommendations for BLL 20-40 μg/dL as described above
• Complete history and physical exam including detailed neurological exam
• Obtain abdominal X-ray and initiate bowel decontamination if indicated
• If the patient exhibits signs or symptoms of lead poisoning, emergently admit them to a hospital
• If a lead-safe environment cannot be assured or if chelation therapy is being considered in consultation with a PEHSU or poison control center, admit the patient to a hospital
• Contact a Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) or poison control center for guidance

*While no level of lead is safe in the body, the reference value, 3.5 μg/dL, was selected to identify children whose BLLs are in the top 2.5 percent of the U.S. population of children under age 6.

**Environmental investigations at BLLs of 3.5 to 19 vary according to local conditions based on jurisdictional requirements and available resources.

Information for medical providers

Blood Lead Levels in Children: What Do Parents Need to Know to Protect Their Children? (PDF)

Wisconsin Blood Lead Screening Recommendations (PDF) Two-page summary of the recommendations for assessing a child's risk for lead poisoning and whether the child should be tested.

PESHU Recommendations on Medical Management of Childhood Lead Exposure and Poisoning (PDF)

Information to share with families

Parents: Look Out for Lead, P-44535A (Multiple Languages) (PDF)

What You Should Know about Your Child's Blood Lead Results 

Lead poisoning: 5 things you can do to help lower your child’s lead level (PDF) En Español (PDF)

Lead Poisoning Home Checklist for Families (PDF)

Are You Pregnant? Prevent Lead Poisoning. Start Now. (PDF) En Español (PDF)

Other reliable sources of information

Low Level Lead Exposure Harms Children: A Renewed Call for Primary Prevention. (PDF) While there is no level of lead in blood that is safe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children with blood lead levels (BLLs) of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL) or above get some follow-up action.

Developmental Surveillance and Screening of Infants and Young Children. (PDF) Provides recommendations for screening infants and young children and intervening with families to identify developmental delays and disabilities in the primary care setting to assure access to early intervention services. (Adapted from: Screening Young Children for Lead Poisoning: Guidance for State and Local Public Health Officers. Atlanta: CDC; 1997).

CDC recommended practice is to confirm a blood lead test that is a capillary screening test with a venous draw, depending on the level of the test result. The higher the blood lead level test result the more quickly the confirmation of that elevated capillary blood lead test is needed. See the table for the details.

CDC recommended schedule for obtaining a confirmatory venous sample following a capillary screening blood lead test

Capillary BLL 3.5* to 9 μg/dL

Within 3 months**

Capillary BLL 10 to 19 μg/dL

Within 1 month**

Capillary BLL 20 to 44 μg/dL

Within 2 weeks**

Capillary BLL greater than or equal to 45 μg/dL

Within 48 hours**

*While no level of lead is safe in the body, the reference value, 3.5 μg/dL, was selected to identify children whose BLLs are in the top 2.5 percent of the U.S. population of children under age 6.

**The higher the BLL on the capillary screening test, the more urgent the need for confirmatory testing.

CDC recommended practice for follow-up blood lead testing is also a venous draw and depending on the initial BLL, the time lapse for follow-up testing may be different. Also, once the BLL begins to decline, the schedule for testing extends out. See table below for the details.

CDC recommended schedule for follow-up blood lead testing

Venous BLL 3.5* to 9 μg/dL

Early follow-up testing 2 to 4 tests after identification: 3 months**
Later follow-up testing after BLL decreasing: 6 to 9 months

Venous BLL 10 to 19 μg/dL

Early follow-up testing 2 to 4 tests after identification: 1 to 3 months**
Later follow-up testing after BLL decreasing: 3 to 6 months

Venous BLL 20 to 44 μg/dL

Early follow-up testing 2 to 4 tests after identification: 2 weeks to 1 month**
Later follow-up testing after BLL decreasing: 1 to 3 months

Venous BLL greater than or equal to 45 μg/dL

Early follow-up testing 2 to 4 tests after identification: As soon as possible
Later follow-up testing after BLL decreasing: As soon as possible

Note: Seasonal variation of BLLs exists and may be more apparent in colder climate areas. Greater exposure in the summer months may necessitate more frequent follow-up tests.

*While no level of lead is safe in the body, the reference value, 3.5 μg/dL, was selected to identify children whose BLLs are in the top 2.5 percent of the U.S. population of children under age 6.

**Some case managers or clinicians may choose to repeat blood lead tests on all new patients within a month to ensure that their BLL is not rising more quickly than anticipated.

Regular well-balanced meals are important for adequate growth and development in all children. Adequate intake of certain vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, iron, and vitamin C, beyond their requirement for overall good nutrition, can specifically minimize absorption of ingested lead. Research indicates that adequate iron intake can decrease lead absorption and should be considered an essential secondary tool to protect children from absorbing lead they ingest from their environments.

Nutrient: Calcium

Examples: Milk, cheese, yogurt, kale, collards, turnip greens, canned salmon, sardines with bones

Nutrient: Iron

Lean meats and poultry, seafood, cereals and breads fortified with iron, peanut butter, nuts, dried beans and peas, raisins, prunes, prune juice, greens such as broccoli and spinach

Nutrient: Vitamin C

Tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits, juices, juices fortified with Vitamin C, strawberries, kiwi, green peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, potatoes

People with iron deficiency absorb two to three times more lead than people with adequate levels of blood iron. Iron and lead interact and compete in heme synthesis. Even slight decreases in hematocrit allow increased lead absorption.

Many U.S. children aged 1 to 2 have daily iron intake below recommended amounts. When exposed to lead hazards, these children may see the lasting effects on cognitive development due to both iron deficiency in infancy and the long-lasting negative effects due to lead.

See Chapter 8: Medical Management of Lead Poisoned Children in our Prevention and Control Handbook, P-00660 (PDF) for more information on diagnosing iron deficiency.

Families of children with lead poisoning that are income eligible can receive nutritional support from WIC

Wisconsin Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program Clinic locations Children at risk for a poor diet and whose family is income eligible can receive education and support for improving or maintaining nutritional status.

Lead and a Healthy Diet (PDF) This pamphlet includes fun recipes for young children to encourage healthy eating.

For more Information

Managing Elevated Blood Lead Levels Among Young Children, Chapter 4, describes the research about the effects of dietary components on childhood lead poisoning.

Recommendations to Prevent and Control Iron Deficiency in the United States Vol 47, No RR03;1; 04/03/1998 (PDF). In children, iron deficiency causes developmental delays and behavioral disturbances, and in pregnant women, it increases the risk for a pre-term delivery and delivering a low birth weight baby.