Hazards of 'deleading' homes of children with lead poisoning
Y. Amitai, J. W. Graef, M. J. Brown, R. S. Gerstle, N. Kahn and P. E. Cochrane
"Deleading" the homes of children with lead poisoning is a necessary step
to terminate the child's exposure to lead. Lead poisoning as a result of
lead exposure during the process of deleading has occurred in deleading
workers but has not been well documented among children whose homes are
deleaded. We treated four children with classes I through III lead
poisoning (range of blood lead [Pb-B] level, 1.6 to 2.75 mumol/L [33 to 57
micrograms/dL]) who had significant elevation of their Pb-B levels (range,
peak 4.34 to 6.27 mumol/L [90 to 130 micrograms/dL]) following deleading of
their homes. The methods used for deleading included scraping, sanding, and
burning of the paint. Symptoms included irritability (n = 3) and vomiting
(n = 1). The elevation of the Pb-B levels was detected early, allowing
prompt chelation therapy. Because exacerbation of lead poisoning may occur
in children following deleading of their homes, safer approaches of
deleading should be determined.
