A new filter paper method to measure capillary blood lead level in children

Article Abstract:

Blood lead tests for children that use a finger prick and filter paper method may be simpler, less costly, and more convenient than traditional tests that require drawing blood from the child's arm. The filter paper method requires pricking a finger and dripping blood onto 12 millimeter circles on a piece of filter paper and sending the paper for laboratory analysis. Researchers compared the accuracy of the filter paper method against blood drawn from arm veins in determining blood lead levels in 100 children aged 9 months to 6 years. They also compared these two methods on laboratory standard samples for accuracy and stability. The filter paper method gave true positive results in 90% of the samples with blood lead levels above 0.48 micromoles per liter (micromol/L), 98% of the samples above 0.72 umol/L, and 94% of the samples above 0.97 micromol/L. Filter paper samples remained stable up to five months when stored at room temperature.

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Screening for lead poisoning by fingerstick in suburban pediatric practices

Article Abstract:

Fingerstick testing for lead poisoning in children may be as accurate as conventional sampling from veins. Fingerstick testing involves pricking the finger tip to obtain small amounts of blood. In the past, false-positive results have been a concern due to the presence of small amounts of lead on the skin surface. A total of 1,085 children between six months old and six years old were screened by fingerstick. A blood lead concentration above 15 micrograms/dL was subject to confirmation by venous sampling. In addition, parents completed a short questionnaire measuring the exposure to lead. Only 35 children had elevated lead concentrations requiring further testing. Five of these children were not available for confirmation. There were 21 false-positive cases among the remaining 30 children.

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Informing children of their human immunodeficiency virus infection

Article Abstract:

Telling an elementary school-age child that he or she is infected with the HIV virus should involve the complete facts, but parceled out according to the child's ability to understand. It is difficult to know how much information a child can absorb, but studies show that children know the degree of seriousness of their illnesses, even when the facts are withheld. Even when the facts are not told, children experience the stress, but without explanation.

Psychological aspects, Editorial, Children, HIV infection in children, Pediatric HIV infections, Family, Parent and child, Parent-child relations

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