Low-level lead exposure and cognitive development in early childhood.
The authors studied toddlers with low-level lead exposure to determine whether adverse developmental effects were evident. The study sample consisted of a cohort of 68 children aged 12 to 36 months who had blood lead levels lower than 25 microg/dL on a routine screening in a large urban public hospital clinic. Children with blood lead levels between 10 and 24.9 microg/dL had a mean Mental Developmental Index (Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition) score that was 6.3 points lower than that of children with blood lead levels between 0 and 9.9 microg/dL (95% confidence interval: 0.6, 11.9). After adjusting for confounders, the difference was 6.2 points (95% confidence interval: 1.7, 10.8). Pediatricians and public health entities should continue in their efforts to reduce the lead burden through environmental control and ongoing surveillance.
Mendelsohn
A L
AL
Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital Center, NY 10016, USA. alm5@is2.nyu.edu
Dreyer
B P
BP
Fierman
A H
AH
Rosen
C M
CM
Legano
L A
LA
Kruger
H A
HA
Lim
S W
SW
Barasch
S
S
Au
L
L
Courtlandt
C D
CD
D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D007854:Lead