Autism and plumbism. A possible association.
Six cases of inner city black children with both infantile autism and lead poisoning are reviewed. In three cases, developmental deviance seems to have been present before the possible impact of lead toxicity. In two cases the lead poisoning may have contributed to the onset or acceleration of developmental symptomatology. In one case the temporal sequence remains unclear. Possible patterns of interaction and the implications for clinical practice are discussed.
D001741:Black or African American; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008923:Missouri; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011581:Psychological Tests; D014505:Urban Population