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Lead Poisoning - When To Call a Doctor

Call your doctor if you know or suspect that you or someone in your family has lead poisoning, has been exposed to lead, or has ingested a large dose of lead (for example, if your child eats any lead-contaminated paint chips).

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if someone has convulsions or is unresponsive.

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Call your doctor if you or someone else has either severe belly pain or frequent forceful, explosive vomiting usually not preceded by nausea (projectile vomiting).

Call your doctor if you live in an older home with peeling or chipping paint and someone in the house has any of the following symptoms:

Fatigue or drowsiness
Weakness of hands and feet
Changes in personality
Headaches

Call your doctor for advice if someone in your home has a job or hobby that involves the use of lead.

Chronic (long-lasting) lead poisoning often has no symptoms at all. See the Early Detection portion of the Exams and Tests section of this topic for guidelines on when to check someone for lead poisoning.

Watchful waiting

Watchful waiting is not appropriate if you think that someone has lead poisoning. Call your doctor.

Who to see

Screening for lead poisoning is usually done by your regular family doctor. The following health professionals can order tests for blood lead levels:

Treatment for lead poisoning might be done by any of the health professionals above, by a doctor who specializes in the treatment of poisoning (toxicologist), or by a specialist in environmental and occupational medicine.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: June 21, 2010

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.