The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), our nation's special education law, defines 14 categories of disability under which a child may be found eligible for special education and related services. One of those categories is "Other Health Impairment," or OHI, for short. Within OHI's definition, numerous disabilities and medical conditions are explicitly named. Lead poisoning is one such.
This short resource page accompanies NICHCY's fact sheet on Other Health Impairment and provides a brief overview of lead poisoning and connections to sources of additional information.
A Brief Look at Lead Poisoning
Lead can build up in the body over a period of months or years. Even a small amount of lead in the body can cause serious problems--hence the term lead poisoning. Children under the age of 6 are especially vulnerable, because their mental and physical abilities are still developing.
Exposure to lead-based paint or paint dust is the most common avenue to lead poisoning. This exists in older buildings and poses a serious health hazard. That is why the paint we use today does not contain lead. It's also why there has been a public awareness and prevention campaign for at least two decades to alert people to the dangers of being exposed to lead.
Symptoms of Lead Poisoning
Unfortunately, the signs that a child may have lead poisoning are rather nonspecific, sometimes making diagnosis more difficult. Symptoms can include:
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Sluggishness
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Unusual paleness (pallor) from anemia
- Learning difficulties
Resources of More Information on Lead Poisoning
National Lead Information Center (NLIC)
(800) 424-LEAD (5323)
www.epa.gov/lead/nlic.htm
Información en español: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/pubs/leadinfoesp.htm
MedlinePlus on Lead Poisoning
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/leadpoisoning.html
WebMD on Lead Poisoning
http://children.webmd.com/tc/lead-poisoning-topic-overview