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How is lead poisoning treated?
The most common treatment for extremely elevated lead levels is chelation therapy. Chelation is a process by which a drug, referred to as a chelating agent, is administered to the child (or adult) either orally or intravenously. The chelating agent works by binding itself to the lead in the body's soft tissues, thereby reducing the toxicity level. Unfortunately, the efficacy of chelating agents for reducing the lead burden in the bones is quite limited. In-hospital chelation requires a week's stay and can be quite uncomfortable. Not only may the child be traumatized by the hospitalization itself, but there are often post chelation side effects as well, such as decreased appetite and lethargy. Many years ago, chelation was accomplished through a series of very painful intramuscular injections of dimercaprol (BAL) used in combination with an IV treatment of CaEDTA. There are many side effects associated with BAL, which is extremely toxic when used with iron supplements.
Chelation may also be accomplished by the use of an oral chelating agent such as Succimer. When this option is chosen, however, it is vital that the child not be living in a leaded environment, as the Succimer will lower the child's body's resistance, making him more susceptible to lead hazards.
As stated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), "children should never be discharged from the hospital until they can go to a lead free environment" (CDC, 1985; Piomelli et al., 1984). Unfortunately, this is rarely the case; all too often children go right back into the environment that initially poisoned them. Children who return to a leaded environment following chelation are much more likely to be readmitted for the same procedure due to their lowered resistance and ongoing exposure to lead.
A proper diet with foods low in fat and high in iron and calcium is an important part of both preventing and treating lead poisoning. Deficiencies in iron, calcium, protein and zinc are related to increased lead levels in the blood and tend to increase future vulnerability to lead poisoning. Foods containing high amounts of fat act like a magnet to the lead in a child's body. It is very important for children with lead poisoning always to keep food in their stomachs, as this slows absorption of the lead.
Please contact us with any questions or if you'd like to explore your legal rights.
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