Surprising leading cause of lead poisoning in young children

Using traditional herbal medicine to treat epilepsy, children suffer severe lead poisoning.

A 3-year-old child from Thanh Hoa province was admitted to the National Children's Hospital in critical condition due to severe lead poisoning, caused by parents giving the child traditional herbal medicine of unknown origin to treat epilepsy.

Doctors at the National Children's Hospital examine a child patient.

According to the family, the child has a history of epilepsy since the age of 6 months. Three months before hospitalization, the family noticed the child having more seizures. However, instead of following the treatment instructions from the specialists, the family independently purchased herbal medicine of unknown origin in pill form for the child to take. After taking the medicine, the child's seizures decreased, but for about a month now, the child has shown behavioral disturbances, crying uncontrollably, and complaining of headaches…

At this time, the family rushed the child to the National Children's Hospital in a state of convulsions, frequent vomiting, altered consciousness, and pale skin. Suspecting lead poisoning, the doctors ordered necessary paraclinical tests and a blood lead level test. The results showed that the patient had very severe lead poisoning with a blood lead concentration above 100 µg/dL (the acceptable threshold is below 10 µg/dL). In addition, the child also had severe anemia and ventricular dilation.

The child is currently receiving intensive treatment but remains in critical condition with a poor prognosis.

Here, doctors have previously treated children with lead poisoning under similar circumstances. One case involved a 9-year-old child who had suffered from epilepsy since the age of 6. Seeing their child having frequent seizures, the family bought an unverified herbal medicine for the child to drink.

After taking the medication, the child's seizures did not subside but worsened, accompanied by vomiting, headache, and increasing lethargy. The child was given emergency treatment at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, and then transferred to the National Children's Hospital in critical condition.

How dangerous is lead poisoning?

According to Dr. Dao Huu Nam, Head of the Intensive Care Unit at the Center for Tropical Diseases, National Children's Hospital: Lead is a heavy metal, highly toxic, affecting all organs of the human body, especially children. Once in the body, this metal can cause many diseases related to the nervous system, cardiovascular system, hematology, stomach, intestines, and kidneys, and it can take decades for lead to be eliminated from the body.

Lead poisoning can have serious consequences for the health and development of children, with symptoms including: irritability, seizures, lethargy, coma, paralysis; delayed cognitive and mental development, hearing loss, loss of learning skills, behavioral changes, fatigue; vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite; pale skin, emaciation due to anemia.

In addition to the obvious symptoms mentioned above, children with lead poisoning also exhibit many subtle signs that can only be detected through blood tests that quantify lead levels.

Dr. Nguyen Tan Hung, Deputy Head of the Emergency and Toxicology Department at the National Children's Hospital, added: There are many causes of lead poisoning in children, such as exposure to polluted environments from industrial zones, lead-contaminated water sources, lead-contaminated paint, gasoline, batteries, plastic toys with lead paint, and food containers with lead solder... Especially, the use of traditional herbal medicines, commonly known as "cam" medicine, of unknown origin is one of the leading and most common causes of lead poisoning in children.

"Parents should be vigilant and trust in medically proven treatments. They should not listen to or follow unverified folk remedies, or self-medicate with drugs, especially herbal medicines of unknown origin or without proper authorization. For children with chronic illnesses, it is crucial to adhere to treatment and follow-up appointments at reputable medical facilities," Dr. Hung advised.

Sharing the same view, Dr. Huu Nam further noted that to prevent lead poisoning in children, parents need to ensure good personal hygiene for their children, such as frequent handwashing, nail trimming, and instructing children not to put their hands and objects in their mouths; maintaining a clean living environment and limiting children's exposure to toys that may be contaminated with lead and other heavy metals. At the same time, ensuring a balanced diet for children is also crucial. If parents suspect their child has lead poisoning, they should take the child to specialized medical facilities for timely examination and treatment.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/bat-ngo-nguyen-nhan-hang-dau-gay-ngo-doc-chi-o-tre-nho-192240424221451765.htm