A case of lead poisoning due to snooker chalk

Abstract

A 3 year, 9 month old child with pica presented with a blood lead concentration of 1.74 μmo1/1 (360 μg/1). The source of poisoning was snooker chalk (lead content 7200 μg/g). She was treated with intravenous calcium disodium edetate chelation. Thirty months later her blood lead was 0.39 μmo1/1 (80 μg/1). This case illustrates the need to be vigilant for more unusual causes of lead poisoning in the home.