Is your child a lead head? Lead toxicity in kids

Have you noticed that your child just isn’t quite themselves lately? Has their development slowed right down, or are they finding learning much harder than it was before? Maybe they are finding simple tasks more tiring, becoming increasingly irritable or is their attention span getting shorter? Or are they just getting ill and sick all the time? Some people brush this under the carpet and hope things will improve, but what if these changes in your youngster are due to a toxin lurking in their environment?

It can feel confusing and unsettling if your child suddenly seems to struggle – especially when you remember clearly how they hit all their baby milestones quickly and with ease. What could have changed? Why have they lost their spark? It’s completely natural to wonder what might be going on.

One of the most common culprits for poor school performance, intellectual disability and oppositional behaviours in children is lead toxicity. Lead poisoning is much more common than you might think, and it can be found in your drinking water and paintwork in your house.

If your child appears disengaged and lost in their own world or struggles to learn, it’s essential to find out whether they have been exposed to lead, especially if you live in an older home. And the sooner we spot a problem like this, the sooner we can help them to feel like themselves again.

How much is too much?

According to a UNICEF report published in 2020, it is estimated that around 1 in 3 children, or approximately 800 million kids globally, have worrying blood lead levels at or above 5 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL). A level over 5μg/dL poses a risk for decreased intelligence behavioural difficulties and learning problems in children.

In July 2021, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) lowered the public health intervention toxicity level for lead poisoning in children under 16 and pregnant women from 10μg/dL to 5μg/dL. This change reflects growing evidence that even very low levels of lead in the blood can affect brain development and child behaviour. And some people say that even smaller amounts than this can affect a child’s brain and neurological system.

If your child’s blood test shows lead levels at or above 5μg/dL, it’s vital to investigate possible sources of contamination, especially in older homes, and take steps to reduce further exposure. Children are particularly vulnerable, and this lower threshold should help to identify those kids most at risk, allowing for early action to be taken.

However, the big problem is that British children are not routinely tested for lead (as a parent you have to go out of your way to ask your GP or paediatrician). This is why many cases are often overlooked and there is potential for misdiagnoses of neurodevelopmental conditions, when the changes in a child are actually due to lead poisoning.

Where does lead come from, and why is it still a concern today?

Petrol

Most people think that lead was only ever in leaded petrol, and since changes in UK law in 1990 requiring all new cars to run on unleaded petrol, you might assume you no longer need to worry about lead toxicity. While this measure did lead to a significant decrease in overall blood lead levels, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Even today, homes built near busy roads where leaded petrol was once used may have lingering deposits of lead in their garden soil and around their doorways.

In your local environment

The recycling of used lead-acid batteries, which is a vital component of cars, trucks, and other vehicles, is another ongoing concern. In many cases, this process is still not carried out safely enough, and many open-air recycling units are often worryingly located near homes and schools.

Abandoned lead mines can leach toxic lead into the surrounding soil, which is then ingested by livestock and ultimately passes through the food chain. Even eating eggs from chickens pecking near a derelict lead mine can lead to excessively high lead levels in those who consume them. High-risk areas in the UK include parts of Wales and Yorkshire, where historic lead mining has left contamination that still spreads through river runoff and flooding.

Lead shot is still used in countryside sports such as shooting, and even if shot pellets are removed from game such as pheasant and partridge, tiny fragments can remain in the meat, posing another potential source of exposure.

In your home

Inside the home, lead can still be present in older plumbing systems, especially lead pipes or copper pipes joined with lead solder, which can contaminate tap water and even water used in your showers, baths and from the taps of bathroom sinks.

Houses with layers of old vintage paint used on windowsills, skirting boards, bannisters, doors and metalwork are more likely to test positive for lead. Lead-based paints were commonly used before the 1970s, and even though they were phased out by 1992, older layers may still exist beneath newer coats in Victorian and Edwardian properties. These older paints could contain up to 50% lead by weight, meaning that even a single flake ingested by a small child could pose a serious health risk.

Some old crockery, ceramics, pottery and leaded crystal contain high levels of lead. Even certain vintage metal toys can be potential sources of exposure.

Pica

It’s normal for babies to mouth objects as a way to self-soothe, but when older children start putting non-food items in their mouth, such as dirt, stones or flakes of paint, it may be a sign of a condition known as pica. This behaviour can sometimes be linked to nutritional deficiencies such as iron, zinc and calcium and may increase the risk of lead exposure, especially in older homes with peeling paint or in gardens where the soil contains residual lead.

In baby food and everyday diets

Some shop-bought baby foods have been found to contain high levels of lead. This is when the food is made from plants which are grown in soil, water or air polluted by industrial activity, landfills or factories. As plants grow, some, especially leafy greens are particularly efficient at drawing in heavy metals and storing them in their leaves and roots. Sometimes there is lead in certain fertilisers and insecticides, and heavy metals such as lead can also find their way into baby food through additives like fortified vitamin mixes.

The best way around this problem is to cook your baby’s food from scratch and to peel the fruit and veg you serve them. And, even better, choose organic where possible. Foods found to have the lowest levels of heavy metals include peas, green beans, butternut squash and bananas. Beans, pulses, eggs, and soft meats are also considered lower-risk. Serving a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, rather than relying heavily on say carrots and sweet potatoes, can also help reduce their overall exposure to heavy metals.

Chocolate and cocoa

Chocolate and cocoa have often been found to have high levels of lead, as well as being laced with other heavy metals such as cadmium and arsenic. Again, this is likely due to the cocoa plants growing in contaminated soil, air and water. That said, there’s no need to ban chocolate altogether, and several trustworthy brands have been shown to have safe or negligible levels of heavy metals. I share the safe brand list here.

Protein powders

Again, because many protein powders are made from non-organic plant-based proteins and contain vitamin mixes, they can be contaminated with heavy metals including lead. The higher quality brands do screen their products for lead residue, so it is worth researching this before buying a protein powder.

How does lead affect kids?

Lead settles in the brain, liver, kidneys and bones, allowing it to affect a child systemically.

The main issue with lead is that it is a toxic heavy metal that can mimic calcium in the body, and this is particularly concerning for children. Calcium plays a vital role in regulating nerve signalling, muscle contraction and brain development. When lead enters the bloodstream, it can hijack a child’s calcium channels, those tiny gateways that allow calcium to move in and out of cells.

This interference from too much lead upsets the delicate balance of calcium signalling, which is essential for healthy brain function and cellular communication. In a developing child, this dysregulation can also impair how the neurons in their central nervous system grow, connect and transmit messages to each other, potentially affecting learning, behaviour and emotional regulation.

Why are babies and young children more vulnerable?

Babies and young children are especially vulnerable to any lead exposure because they are at a stage of rapid brain development. What’s especially concerning is that a child’s blood-brain barrier is still developing, making their brain more susceptible to the neurotoxic effects of lead. For a child, this means that even low levels of lead exposure can have a profound effect on their development. It may show up as difficulty concentrating, increased anxiety, sleep disturbances or sensory sensitivities.

Young children can absorb up to five times more lead than adults from the same source, and because they breathe, eat and drink more relative to their body weight, their overall intake is disproportionately higher.

Their natural curiosity and developmental stage also play a role and since our rug rats spend more time close to the ground – crawling, playing and exploring and so they are far more likely to pick up dust or soil contaminated with lead, or put dusty objects into their mouths.

How does this affect learning, IQ, and behaviour?

Numerous studies show the adverse effects of lead toxicity on child cognition, including measurable reductions in IQ. One meta study found that an increase in blood lead from 10 to 20 μg/dL was associated with a decrease of 2.6 IQ points. Being exposed to lead can therefore affect test and exam results. It can also influence memory and learning abilities, as well as fine motor skills.

Even low levels of lead exposure can alter a toddler’s temperament, leading to more extreme toddler tantrums. In older children, a high burden of lead can affect their behaviour, often alongside impulsivity, hyperactivity and aggression. Too much lead in a child’s system can induce feelings of low mood, anxiety and panic.

Long-term studies have shown that children exposed to lead often grow into adults who are more neurotic, less agreeable and less conscientious.

Exposure to high levels of lead can therefore mimic childhood behavioural differences such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder and oppositional defiance disorder. Many teenagers and young people involved in antisocial behaviour and criminal activity also test positive for high levels of lead.

Physical symptoms and growth

A build-up of lead in the body can also lead to a wide range of other symptoms such as poor growth, poor appetite, stomach pain, constipation, hearing loss, headaches and anaemia. Kids with a high lead burden tire easily, often being asked to be carried as they have sore legs and can seem quite sluggish and slow.

Lead only stays in the blood for 2-3 months after exposure, and then it settles in the bones, which can displace calcium and even reduce bone density. This increases the risk for short stature, bone fractures and also osteoporosis in later life. Both children and adults store lead in the teeth and bones, where it can accumulate over time. Ensuring a diet rich in calcium will help to prevent this build-up and support strong bones and teeth.

Pregnancy and lead

Pregnancy is another time of risk, as lead stored in bones and teeth can be released into the bloodstream, exposing the foetus. Unfortunately, the placenta is not an effective barrier for preventing lead from being transferred from mother to baby. And lead being passed from mum through the placenta increases the risk for neurocognitive damage to the baby. The risk of these adverse effects of lead exposure increases further if the pregnancy has been stressful, according to research.

Links with anaemia

Lead exposure is also linked with the development of childhood anaemia or low iron levels. When a child is low in iron, as well as feeling fatigue and having a poor immune system, they can feel more fearfulness, unhappiness, wariness, solemnity and separation anxiety. This is because iron is the most abundant mineral in a child’s central nervous system and is vital for stabilising mood and neurological function.

If your child shows signs of pica, it’s worth asking your GP for a blood test to check their lead levels, as well as their iron, zinc and calcium levels, which can also drive this behaviour when deficient. Supporting their diet with the right vitamins and minerals can often help reduce these behaviours naturally.

How lead affects adults

Adults are affected by the accumulation of too much lead too. In adults, high blood pressure can be linked to lead toxicity exposure, and there is a greater risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke and heart attack, as well as reduced kidney function. Joint pain is common in people with a high lead burden and memory or concentration problems are also linked to chronic lead exposure. Also bone density can be affected leading to osteopenia, osteoporosis and higher chance of bone fractures.

There are also links to certain cancers, so it is wise to keep lead exposure as low as possible throughout life.

Testing for lead exposure

If you worry that your child has recently been exposed to lead toxicity, then you can ask your GP for a blood test to check their levels. Some people prefer private options, and the NatureDoc clinical team can organise a test for your child.

Remember lead only stays in the blood for a couple of months before it settles deeper into the tissues and the bone, so if you think exposure was more than two months ago (or they are fearful of blood tests), then the best way of testing for lead is through a hair elements test instead which looks at a wide range of heavy metal exposures and can also assess any additional needs for minerals such as calcium and iron. Again, this can be arranged and interpreted through our NatureDoc clinical team.

What can you do to reduce lead levels?

Identify and remove the source

It is vital to identify the source of lead exposure wherever possible. If it is on your paintwork, repair and seal it safely, and regularly damp-dust and use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

If it is your water supply, then invest in a good-quality water filter that removes heavy metals. This could be just at your drinking water tap, a whole-house system, or you can get water filter attachments for individual showers and taps.

Think more about where you buy your food and the land that it has been grown on or in and choose your chocolate and protein powder brands wisely if you consume these regularly.

Support the body’s natural detoxification

The safe elimination of heavy metals and other toxins in the body may be increased if sulphur-rich foods such as onions, garlic, cauliflower, eggs, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts are eaten regularly.

Other plant-based foods and supplements include spirulina, chlorella, vitamin C, milk thistle, broccoli sprouts, coriander and parsley, which also have properties that support the liver’s ability to manage a high toxic load.

Pectin-rich foods such as apples, pears, quince, cabbage, bananas, beetroot, grapes, carrots and citrus pith are natural sponges and help to reduce heavy metal load. Modified citrus pectin has been used as a supplement to help minimise lead toxicity in children due to its gentle action.

Pure omega-3-rich fish oils have also been shown to aid in more efficient detoxification. This is due to its antioxidant potential and metal-binding properties. Rodent studies in pregnant rats and mice found that omega-3 supplementation improved cognitive function in offspring even after prenatal lead exposure.

Prioritise calcium and iron

Make sure that your child’s diet includes plenty of calcium-rich foods like yoghurt, cottage cheese, cheese and milk, as well as green veg, chia seeds, tahini and almond butter to keep their bones and teeth strong.

And if you suspect they are low in iron, also prioritise a diet rich in red meat, offal, green veg, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, red lentils, apricots, prunes and dates.

Round up

It is very worrying when your child seems behind in their skills and is not keeping up with their peers, is always exhausted, often getting ill and generally lacking any joie de vivre. Sometimes, delayed learning, cognitive skills or behavioural challenges, can be magnified by environmental factors such as lead exposure. Thankfully, this can be easily tested for, and an upgrade in diet and supplements can help to minimise the effect of the lead.

If you have a niggling feeling that your child has been exposed to lead through a home renovation project or simply living in an old house with old chipped paint or old plumbing, then our NatureDoc clinical team is here to help. We can organise blood and/or hair testing and then carefully and safely share evidence-based ways to gently escort the heavy metals out of your child’s body through nutritious foods and some targeted supplements.

To learn more about the devasting effects of lead poisoning, listen to this Financial Times Untold: Toxic Legacy podcast led by Laura Hughes with contributions from our NatureDoc clinical lead Lucinda Miller.

This blog was has been updated from the original, published 4 July 2015.

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