Lead exposure--implications for general practice

There is increasing awareness of the importance of environmental pollution as a cause of health problems.

This article explores the effects that lead can have on children's health and draws on two recent pollution episodes to highlight the need for continued community and medical vigilance.

High levels of lead in the environment can have significant adverse effects, particularly on the developing brains of children. The main effects are intellectual loss and behavioural disturbances such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. Exposure can occur from activities such as the removal of lead based paints around the home. More commonly, significant lead exposure in children occurs in towns that mine, process or transport lead. General practitioners in communities hosting lead industries need to be alert to the possibility of a diagnosis of lead poisoning.