Who should get a lead test
- Young children, especially at 12 and 24 months. Children on Medicaid must be tested at those ages, and CDC recommends testing all young children where there is no local screening plan.
- Children and adults in older homes painted before 1978, especially when paint is being sanded or stripped.
- Workers in construction, mining, manufacturing, battery recycling, bullet making or electronics recycling, and anyone with a lead hobby.
- People who are pregnant or planning pregnancy and may be exposed at work or home.
- Anyone with symptoms that could fit lead poisoning, or to check whether treatment is working.
Children are most at risk. Lead harms their developing brains and nerves, and young children often swallow paint chips or dust.
How the test is done
A screening test can use a finger or heel prick (capillary sample) or a blood draw from a vein. CDC recommends confirming any capillary result at or above 3.5 µg/dL with a venous draw. No special preparation is needed.
What results mean for children
| Confirmed venous level (µg/dL) | What CDC guidance calls for |
|---|---|
| Under 3.5 | Education on lead sources, a check of development and diet, and routine follow-up testing by age |
| 3.5 to 19 | Report to the health department, an exposure history and home investigation, a check for iron deficiency, and repeat testing |
| 20 to 44 | All of the above plus a full exam, home hazard reduction, and possibly an abdominal X-ray; contact Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or a pediatric environmental health specialist |
| 45 or higher | Urgent medical care, possibly in hospital, and a specialist decides on treatment to remove lead from the body |
CDC lowered the reference value from 5 to 3.5 µg/dL after a 2021 advisory committee vote, based on blood lead levels in U.S. children in national surveys from 2015 to 2018. Before 2012, it used a "level of concern" of 10 µg/dL, which it no longer uses.
What results mean for adults
- Reference value: 3.5 µg/dL, set by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists for public health reporting.
- Elevated: MedlinePlus calls 5 µg/dL or higher elevated in adults. Some health departments recommend repeating the test every 3 months while a level is 3.5 to 9 µg/dL.
- Pregnancy: occupational health experts advise that anyone pregnant or planning pregnancy avoid work exposure that would raise their level to 3.5 µg/dL or higher.
- Treatment: much higher levels, or high levels with symptoms, may need medical treatment. The first step at any level is finding and stopping the exposure.
For a wider screen, see heavy metals testing and the lead lab guide.
Common sources of lead
- Paint in homes painted before 1978, especially when it is sanded or stripped
- Soil near highways and older houses
- Drinking water that runs through lead pipes
- Some imported canned goods, and lead-glazed pottery and dishes
- Toys and furniture painted before 1976
- Jobs and hobbies that use lead, such as jewelry making. Workers can carry lead dust home on clothes, shoes and hair.
Lead often causes no clear symptoms at first. See a clinician for belly pain and cramping, constipation, headaches, irritability, tiredness, or a child losing skills they had learned. Call 911 for vomiting, a staggering walk, muscle weakness or seizures. Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.
Common questions
What is a normal blood lead level?
There is no known safe level. CDC uses 3.5 µg/dL as the reference value for children; MedlinePlus lists under 3.5 µg/dL for children and calls 5 µg/dL or higher elevated in adults.
What is the CDC blood lead reference value?
It is 3.5 µg/dL, updated from 5 µg/dL after a 2021 advisory committee vote. It marks the top 2.5% of blood lead levels in U.S. children ages 1 to 5 and is a screening tool, not a health-based limit.
Is a finger-prick lead test enough?
It works for screening. CDC recommends confirming any capillary result of 3.5 µg/dL or higher with a blood draw from a vein.
Should adults get tested for lead?
Testing makes sense if you work with lead, live in an older home during renovation, use imported products that may contain lead, are pregnant with possible exposure, or have symptoms.
How do you lower a high lead level?
Find and remove the source first, and follow your clinician's plan for repeat testing. Very high levels may need medical treatment directed by a specialist.
Sources
- About the Data: Blood Lead Surveillance Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Recommended Actions Based on Blood Lead Level Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Blood Lead Level Guidance National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC)
- Lead levels: blood MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Lead poisoning MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
- About Lead in the Workplace National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC)
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It does not replace a visit with a licensed clinician. Gabriel membership is not health insurance.