Childhood Lead Poisoning

Abstract

Exposure of children to lead remains a pervasive problem in the United States. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that in 1990 approximately 3 million children in the United States had blood lead levels high enough to affect intelligence and development (whole blood lead level ≥0.48 μmol/L [10 μg/dL]). 1 The residential use of lead-based paint was prohibited in 1978, 2 and lead use in gasoline has decreased dramatically since the early 1970s. 3 Nevertheless, approximately 74% of all housing units built before 1980 contain lead-based paint, 2 and dust and soil heavily contammated by lead-based paint or leaded gasoline used in the past are found throughout the country. 1 The results of the two studies on lead published in this issue of JAMA 4,5 make important contributions to our understanding of the impact of secondary prevention—the identification of and treatment for children with blood lead levels of public health