Infants can be lead poisoned if the container used to prepare the milk contains lead. Most children with elevated lead levels have no symptoms until they reach extreme levels. The only way to know for sure if your child has been exposed to lead is by performing a lead-screening test. Signs and symptoms of lead poisoning in children are variable. The spectrum of clinical presentation of lead intoxication ranges from acute encephalopathy with rapid progression to coma and death at one end, to vague symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, malaise, and behavior changes at the other end.
Children can be completely asymptomatic across a wide range of blood lead levels.
Early signs observed in young children could be sleeping difficulties, decreased appetite, and hyperactivity. The most important aspect of the treatment is to remove the child from the source of exposure to lead. Severe lead poisoning is treated with hospitalization and chelation therapy. It is not known whether the treatment can reverse the effects of mild lead poisoning, but it certainly can prevent further damage. Wash children's hands and face frequently before meals and bedtime.