Lead poisoning seen as result
of Mexican home remedies

OAKLAND, CA (BUSINESS WIRE) - If you think lead poisoning in children -- like polio -- has disappeared, you're wrong.

Like polio, lead poisoning is rare today. But it can occur if parents don't take the proper precautions. "Children who live in old, dilapidated housing and have the opportunity to eat chipped or peeling paint, who live in areas where there is lead in the soil, or who are exposed indirectly by parents who work with lead, are still at risk for lead poisoning," said Edgar Schoen, M.D., director of regional perinatal screening at Kaiser Permanente's Oakland Medical Center.

And so are children in certain cultures, Kaiser Permanente has learned. In the past year, two Hispanic toddlers were found to have high blood lead levels -- the result of using home remedies that did more harm than good.

"The parents came in with vague complaints. They said their boy had a poor appetite," said David Nunez, M.D., the pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente's Hayward Medical Center who first saw the boy.

"I explained to them that most children from two to five years of age experience a general change in eating behavior. It's perfectly normal in a child who is growing normally," he said. Then he tested the boy's blood. The results showed a high level of lead in the blood, which can cause developmental delays in young children.

When children are found to have high lead levels in Alameda County, public health nurses conduct a lead evaluation of the home, free of charge. In this case, the investigator found one suspicious clay pot being used to store food. But the real culprit was Azarcon, a home remedy used in Mexico.

"In Mexico, children's weight gain is taken very seriously," explains Becky Lichtenberg, PHN, Alameda County's Case Management Coordinator. "If the parents are worried that the child is not gaining enough weight, they sometimes turn to healers." Two popular remedies for stomach upset and poor appetite are Azarcon and Greta. And both are made almost entirely of lead. "If the parents were recently in Mexico, or if they just had visitors from Mexico, there's a chance that they've picked up some of these home remedies."

In both of these cases, the sources of lead in the home were removed and the children are doing fine. Dr. Nunez still believes the incidence of lead poisoning is "very low." Marianne Gerson, M.D., a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente's Hayward Medical Center, agrees. She's studied the blood levels of more than 16,000 Kaiser Permanente children throughout Northern California. "The children we tested had a mean average blood lead level of 3, which is lower than the national average of 4," she said.

But Dr. Nunez now asks the parents of his patients if they use home remedies. "A lot of them are safe," he said. "But you should check with your physician before using them." For more information about lead poisoning, contact the Kaiser Permanente Health Education Center nearest you. If you live in Alameda County, call the Alameda County Poison Prevention Program at 800-B-LEADSAFE for information in English, Spanish or Chinese.

Sources of Lead in the Home

Since the U.S. government banned lead from paint and gasoline in the 1970s, the United States has seen a tremendous drop in the number of lead poisoning cases and in the amount of lead in children's bloodstreams. But some children are still at risk for lead poisoning. The major sources of lead in the home are:

- LEAD PAINT (painting that was done before 1978) in old and dilapidated housing. Lead paint, by itself, is not hazardous. It becomes a hazard when the paint is chipping, peeling, or disturbed. For example, if a toddler lives in a house with older, peeling paint or breathes paint dust during a room renovation.

- DIRT THAT INFANTS AND TODDLERS MAY PLAY IN AND EAT. Dirt acquires lead from two sources: (1) auto emissions that settle on the ground and (2) exterior lead paint that may have been scraped off the house years ago. The chips and dust may have mixed in with the dirt. The lead in the chips and dust does not deteriorate.

- EXPOSURE FROM MOM OR DAD'S WORK CLOTHES, IF THEY WORK IN A LEAD-RELATED INDUSTRY SUCH AS A BATTERY PLANT. According to the law, employers must provide facilities for such workers, so they may shower and change clothes before going home.

- COOKING OR STORING FOOD OR BEVERAGES IN IMPORTED CLAY POTS. The paints and glazes may contain lead.

- IMPORTED "MEDICINES," BEAUTY AIDS AND FOOD: Azarcon and Greta -- used in Hispanic cultures to cure children's stomach aches and to help the children gain weight. These home remedies are made mostly of lead. Kohl eyeliner -- used in Asian cultures as eyeliner for babies. If manufactured in the United States, Kohl eyeliner is safe. If it was manufactured outside of the United States, it may contain lead.

- LEAD SOLDER. Some imported foods are sold in cans that contain lead solder. You can tell by looking at the seam in the can. First, look at a U.S. can; the solder seam is very thin (no lead is used). Now look at the can of imported food. If the seam is very thick, a couple of centimeters wide, suspect lead solder. Many hardware stores sell lead testing kits for about $2.

How to Prevent Lead Poisoning

Watch your children and toddlers carefully. Don't let them eat paint chips or dirt.

Wash your children's hands and play toys frequently.

Avoid using home remedies unless you discuss them with your doctor first.

If you live in a high-risk area, in an older, dilapidated home, have your child screened for lead poisoning.

Unfortunately, lead poisoning has no specific symptoms.