Childhood lead poisoning

The purpose of this article is to illustrate the changes in U.S. public health programs and policy resulting from the increased understanding of lead-poisoning toxicology, related risk factors, and the long-term disability resulting from acute and chronic lead-poisoning. Risk factors associated with lead poisoning include ambient lead exposure, poor nutrition, and being a child. Since children from disadvantaged backgrounds are most at risk to suffer the permanent disabilities associated with even acute levels of lead exposure, social justice requires surveillance and eradication of harmful conditions. The vehicles for change include legislation, the founding of protection agencies to watch guard the children's well-being, and continued research to find and clean-up additional hazardous sources of lead.