CDC: Even low levels of lead poisoning a problem for kids

Doctors should be more alert to signs of lead poisoning in children because even kids with blood lead levels lower than the U.S. standard may suffer lower IQs or behavioral problems, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Source: "Doctors Urged on Signs of Lead Poisoning," Associated Press, Nov. 2, 2007.) "The CDC has never set a threshold for what defines lead poisoning. But it created a standard of sorts in 1991 when it said a lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter of blood should prompt a doctor to assess the child's environment and take other protective steps." However, the new report states there can be problems with lead poisoning well below that level. The report will be published in the November issue of the medical journal Pediatrics.