NM DOHERDEHEB Lead Poisoning




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For Further information

Contact the Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau at:

Santa Fe Phone:
505-476-1734

Albuquerque Phone:
505-841-5891

Toll Free Phone:
888-878-8992

E-mail:
DOH-eheb@state.nm.us

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Lead Poisoning Prevention

 

Lead Poisoning

The New Mexico Lead Poisoning Prevention Program collects blood lead level data and provides case management to children and adults with elevated blood lead levels. The program provides education, home visits, lead risk assessment, and consultation with health care providers in an effort to prevent lead poisoning and decrease elevated lead levels in exposed children.

Developing fetuses and growing children are highly susceptible to lead’s toxic effects. Lead exposure in children can cause behavioral and learning problems, hearing loss, and at very high levels, seizures, coma, and death.

In adults, high lead levels can cause high blood pressure, reproductive problems, kidney damage, hearing loss, and neurological problems. During case management, adults are warned about carrying lead dust home to their children and about the dangers of lead for an expectant mother and her unborn child.

Lead can come from deteriorating lead-based paint, contaminated soil, certain vinyl products, some folk and alternative health remedies, some consumer products, and jobs or hobbies that use lead. Elevated adults lead levels are most often caused by occupational exposure.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Lead Home Page

  • Approximately 14 in 1,000 U.S. children aged 1-5 years have blood lead levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, the level at which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend public health actions be initiated.   In New Mexico, rates of elevated blood lead levels have remained relatively constant in children aged 1-5 years.  For example, from 2006-2008 approximately 3 of every 1,000 children tested for lead exposure had an elevated blood lead level.  Specifically, in 2007 and 2008, we were able to identify 22 and 35 children out of 6,632 and 10,868 tested, respectively.

    Fortunately, rates of elevated blood lead levels in New Mexican children are lower relative to U.S. rates.  However, since exposure to lead can and should be prevented, these rates are still a concern.  In addition, although Medicaid-eligible children are required to be tested for lead exposure, this doesn't always happen.  Therefore, the rates of elevated blood lead levels may be unrealistically low. 

    In 2007 and 2008, there were a total of 2,259 and 2,170 blood lead level (BLL) reports, respectively, received on New Mexico (NM) residents aged 16 and over.  Elevated blood lead level (EBLL) reports (25 µg/dL or greater) were received for 7 individuals in 2007 and 10 individuals in 2008.  In 2008, four (4) of these individuals had an EBLL of 40 µg/dL or greater, while in 2007, there were no adults with an EBLL of 40 µg/dL or greater.   Of those adults with an EBLL in 2007 and 2008, 7 were due to occupational exposures in each year.

    New Mexico Administrative Code - Health