Lead exposure can cause health problems for infants and children. Lead is a toxic substance, most often found in paint. Children under the age of six are exceptionally vulnerable to the effects of lead because their brains and nervous systems are still developing.
Although lead usually appears in paint, it can also be present in soil, in water that has traveled through corroded lead pipes, and in dust particles that contain lead. Most manufacturers no longer cover children’s products, toys, and cribs with leaded paint, but older products or those produced in countries that lack lead-control policies may contain lead.
Symptoms of lead exposure may begin with headache, irritability, loss of appetite, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, paleness, and constipation. Higher levels of lead exposure may lead to abdominal pain and cramping, vomiting, muscle weakness, coma, difficulty walking, or seizures. A blood test can determine the amount of lead exposure that a child has had.