Lead poisoning due to… traditional medicine.

Be wary of herbal remedies of unknown origin.

Unfortunate

In mid-February this year, doctors at the National Children's Hospital treated a severe case of lead poisoning caused by treatment with traditional herbal medicine. Specifically, the patient, TM (9 years old, from Ha Tinh province ), had a history of epilepsy.

Recently, the family noticed their child experiencing frequent seizures, so they bought an unverified herbal medicine for the child to take. After two weeks of using the medicine, the seizures did not decrease but increased, accompanied by vomiting, headaches, and increasing lethargy. At the hospital, the child was diagnosed with severe lead poisoning. The lead level in the child's blood was 91 µg/dL (the acceptable threshold is below 10 µg/dL). The patient was quickly transferred to the National Children's Hospital for further monitoring and treatment.

At the National Children's Hospital, the child was admitted in a lethargic state, experiencing frequent and prolonged seizures, and decreased consciousness. Doctors immediately initiated intensive resuscitation to ensure the child's survival, including oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic stabilization, treatment of increased intracranial pressure, and administration of lead chelation therapy.

However, after one day of treatment, the child's consciousness deteriorated, intracranial pressure increased severely, threatening vital functions, and the child went into a state of brain death.

Dr. Nguyen Tan Hung, Deputy Head of the Emergency and Toxicology Department at the National Children's Hospital, said this was a very unfortunate case of poisoning due to the family's lack of understanding and failure to follow the treatment guidelines for epilepsy from specialist doctors. The parents did not give the child medication regularly and attend follow-up appointments as scheduled, but instead self-medicated with drugs of unknown origin.

According to Dr. Hung, some parents still place too much faith in a type of "miracle cure" called "cam medicine" that can treat many skin diseases, dental problems, malnutrition, or boost immunity… These are mistakes that can have serious consequences for children.

Over the years, medical facilities have provided emergency care and treatment to many children suffering from lead poisoning after using traditional herbal remedies of unknown origin.

Symptoms of lead poisoning in children

Lead is a highly toxic substance that damages many organs, including the nervous system, bones, hematological system, blood, liver, kidneys, digestive system, and cardiovascular system. Once in the body, lead can accumulate in internal organs, especially bones, and it can take decades to be eliminated.

"Lead is particularly dangerous for young children because it accumulates in the bones over time, causing stunted growth and delayed physical development. This metal also causes anemia, and in some cases, irreversible brain damage leading to severe sequelae such as intellectual disability and seizures," Dr. Hung warned, adding that children with lead poisoning exhibit acute symptoms: irritability, seizures, lethargy, coma, and paralysis. Long-term, atypical symptoms include: delayed cognitive and mental development, reduced hearing ability, loss of learning skills, changes in attitude and behavior, and fatigue.

Children may experience vomiting, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite; their skin may be pale, and they may become thin and weak due to anemia. In addition, children with lead poisoning may exhibit many subtle symptoms that can only be detected through blood tests that quantify lead levels.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/ngo-doc-chi-vi-thuoc-cam-10274999.html