Lead poisoning and children

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33060, 30 October 1972, Page 6

Lead poisoning and children

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— -Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 29.

Three American doctors say a slow form of lead poisoning might be the cause of hyperactivity in children, and urge a new definition of toxic levels of lead in the blood.

Hyperactive children are over-energetic and overexcitable with a short attention span and short temper. The symptoms are often associated with childhood psychosis. Reporting in the British medical magazine, the “Lancet,” Mr O. David, Dr J. Clark and Dr K. Voeller said tests on hyperactive children at a Brooklyn

medical centre showed they had significantly more lead in their bodies than normal children.

“A large body-lead burden might exert consequences that have been hitherto unrealised,” they said. The three doctors selected the 82 hyperactive children from outpatients at three clinics in the King’s County Hospital medical centre complex. The doctors said it was known that lead poisoning could sometimes be followed by hyperactivity, and the children tested included eight who had a history of lead poisoning. These had a much higher lead content than the other hyperactives. But the rest, not previously known to have been

exposed to lead, also showed a higher content of body lead than normal. The exceptions were those children whose hyperactivity had a known probable cause. The normal blood-lead level was accepted as 24.5 micrograms per 100 millilitres, the doctors said, and anything above 55 micrograms was regarded as abnormal. “Our findings suggest that the arguments for considering any lead evaluation above 24.5 micrograms per 100 mis as dangerous should receive serious attention.” Raised levels of lead (not necessarily in the toxic range) during a long period might be responsible for the minimal brain damage present in the hyperactive syndrome, they said.