Chelation Treatments for Iowa Lead Poisoning

Now that you know your child has been exposed to high levels of lead, you probably have many questions and want to know how you can help your child during this difficult time. Your doctor will most likely be the best source of information, as he or she will provide you with recommendations and treatments available.

Two common ways that lead poisoning in Iowa is treated in children with more severe cases is through drugs called chelators and EDTA therapy.

How Does Lead Poisoning Treatment Work?

Chelation treatments are given at a hospital under a doctor's supervision. They consist of medication that is administered intravenously (through the veins), intramuscularly (through the muscles), or by mouth. This type of treatment may only have to be done once; however, there are many children who need more than one session to lower the amount of lead in their blood.

The way this treatment works is that the medicine attaches to the lead found in the body and removes it by excretion through urine.

After chelation treatment, if your child's blood lead levels are more than 10 mcg/dL, then the doctor may recommend another chelation treatment. However, even after another treatment session, some children's blood lead levels won't get lower than 10 mcg/dL.

Another similar lead poisoning treatment process is called EDTA therapy. This type of procedure is to treat blood lead levels higher than 45 mcg/dL. Ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) is a chemical treatment that binds to excess lead found in the body.

Treating high blood lead levels can be beneficial to some; however, it may not be possible to reverse all the damage that has been done. Talk to your doctor regarding which treatment is best for your child, and call an experienced Cedar Rapids lead poisoning attorney at Brady & O'Shea today if you believe you have an Iowa lead poisoning claim. We can be reached at (319) 866-9277 for a free legal evaluation.

Please request your FREE copy of our book, Get the Lead Out, which can help you and your family during this difficult time.