RECOGNITION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN WITH INCREASED LEAD ABSORPTION

Childhood lead poisoning has been increasingly recognised in the USA where large-scale screening programmes detect some 40 000 cases of undue lead absorption a year. This contrasts with data from the UK where about 100 cases are recognised each year. The situation in other countries is largely unknown, although small surveys have revealed cases from a wide variety of sources. These apparent discrepancies probably reflect differences in clinical awareness, the availability of practical screening tests, and differences in the definition of acceptable degrees of exposure. In this important article the authors discuss the sources of lead, its metabolism and effects, and the management of lead poisoning, with special emphasis on screening to identify the problem at a presymptomatic phase.