Questions frequently asked by health care professionals managing lead poisoned patients:
1) The capillary blood lead level is elevated, what should I do next?
Obtain a venous sample. The majority of elevated capillary lead levels are false positives.
2) I have a child with an elevated venous blood lead level that has been confirmed on recheck to be elevated. At what level do I initiate chelation therapy?
According to the CDC, chelation therapy is only approved for children with blood lead levels exceeding 45 mg/dl.
3) I am evaluating a child with an elevated blood lead level. Who can assist me with determining the home source of the lead?
Contact Lead-Safe Virginia (877-668-7987) and they can assist you.
4) I have a child with an elevated blood lead level. What are the other sources of lead poisoning I should explore?
There are numerous sources of lead toxicity. The website www.leadpoison.org
has a lecture aimed at clearly delineating all the various sources of lead toxicity reported in the medical literature.
5) What year home is at risk for childhood lead poisoning?
Homes built prior to 1978 are at the most risk for leaded paint.
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