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Plumbism, or lead poisoning, can affect both adults and children. Symptoms vary based on the amount of lead in the blood and can be mistaken for meningitis in young children. Treatment is available through chelation, but prevention is key by avoiding exposure to lead in homes and products.
Plumbism is another word for lead poisoning and can occur in adults and children. Children are the most likely victims, because small amounts of lead can easily reach toxic levels in the body, but adults can also suffer from this type of poisoning. Symptoms can vary based on the amount of lead in your blood.
Unless there has been known lead ingestion or lead exposure, symptoms may not automatically indicate plumbing and may take a long time to progress, silently harming the body. Very young children with the most severe aspects of this disease may be misdiagnosed. In particular, how quickly symptoms can come on in young children and the type of symptoms that occur are often mistaken for meningitis. Such symptoms include extreme nausea/vomiting, decreased cognitive abilities, possible seizures, inability to walk in a straight line, and others. These look like problems with the brain, which are actually because brain swelling has often occurred from lead exposure.
Children who are slightly older may have similar symptoms when they get plumbism, but they may be more gradual. However, seizures are not that uncommon and children may have a marked difference in cognitive ability and start to look retarded. Sometimes serious behavior changes occur, or a child with an ignored and extended plumbing case might suddenly flunk out of school. In both groups, anemia is often present which can be a method of diagnosis and, in older children, this could translate into lower immunity and more frequent contractions of the diseases. Anemia can also cause fatigue or exhaustion and make the skin look a little pale.
Adults with lead poisoning rarely have brain swelling, but may still have significant stomach upset or digestive tract problems and changes in mood or mental status. Headaches are also quite common. Some people notice a bitter taste in their mouths and others call it a metallic taste.
There is a treatment for lead poisoning once it has been diagnosed and it can reverse the damage and take this disease away, unless the lead levels are extremely high. The treatment occurs through a process called chelation, in which a chemical is induced in the body that binds to lead molecules and removes them. Some people need more aggressive treatment and may require different chemicals to help remove the lead. Many times most lead poisoning symptoms are removed with treatment, but again sometimes the damage that occurs from brain swelling is permanent.
The most important thing to remember about plumbing is that it is caused by exposure to an environmental hazard, lead, and that this disease is often preventable with the right precautions. These include not living in homes built before the 1970s unless lead removal has been performed. At the very least it is advised not to live in houses that have any kind of chipping or deterioration of the paint or lead water pipes.
When it’s not possible to move into a home that would be lead-free, people should have their children or themselves tested periodically to make sure the plumbing isn’t showing. Lead has also been found in a number of products such as makeup, children’s toys and older furniture. Researching companies and their standards in complying with safety laws can help people determine which products to use that may be safer.
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