Lead poisoning due to pica

Lead poisoning or saturnism is caused by the accumulation of lead in the body over months or years. Lead is present in multiple sources, such as old wall paint or cosmetics like Khol-Surma. There is no safe blood level. During childhood, a condition called pica may occur, which involves the ingestion of non-nutritive substances. The case presented here corresponds to a 3-year-old girl whose parents were from Pakistan, referred to the primary care clinic for exhibiting symptoms of pica, ingesting the walls of the home and stones. A full blood test, including lead levels, was requested due to her Pakistani background, revealing marked iron-deficiency anemia and elevated lead levels. Initially, the source of the lead was suspected to be the home's paint, in which elevated levels were detected. In subsequent blood tests after the cessation of pica behavior, lead levels remained elevated. At that point, the new suspected source of lead exposure was the eye makeup called Khol-Surma, which she used weekly. After stopping the use of this makeup, her blood lead levels decreased.