Children's Health

What Affects the Test

You may not be able to have the test or the results may not be helpful if your skin is contaminated with lead. Low levels of lead can be found almost anywhere, including on the skin.

Having low iron levels in your blood may cause an increase in the absorption of lead.

What To Think About

• Blood tests for lead should be done by a lab experienced in proper technique. A finger stick or heel stick can test for lead poisoning but must be done carefully to prevent contamination of the sample from lead on the skin. Any result of 10 mcg/dL of lead or higher from a finger or heel stick should be rechecked on a blood sample drawn from a vein. Some doctors prefer to only test blood drawn from a vein. If the results are too high, a follow-up blood sample should be taken from a vein to double-check the results.
• Timed urine tests may be done to check the amount of lead in urine and/or to keep track of the amount of lead being removed from your body during treatment (chelation therapy).
• The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires companies to test the blood of employees who work with lead. Results need to be reported to the local health department if 2 or more blood lead levels are above 10 mcg/dL. A home inspection is needed to find the source of the lead. For more information, see OSHA's Web site at www.osha.gov.