New threshold doubles lead-poisoning tally



The increase is the result of the government’s lowering the threshold for lead poisoning last year, leaving more children considered at risk.

Too much lead can harm developing brains and result in a lower IQ. Lead poisoning used to be a much larger concern in the United States, but it has declined significantly since lead was removed from paint, gasoline and other sources.


Those cuts represent “an abandonment of children,” said David Rosner, a Columbia University public-health historian who writes books about lead poisoning.

“We’ve been acting like the problem was solved and this was a thing of the past,” he said.

Lead can harm a child’s brain, kidneys and other organs. High levels in the blood can cause coma, convulsions and death. Lower levels can reduce intelligence, impair hearing and behavior, and cause other problems.