CDC Alert: 22 Children Sickened by Applesauce - Symptoms of Lead Poisoning?

Almost two dozen children fell ill from lead after eating apple sauce products containing cinnamon, which were later recalled. This announcement was made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday.

As of November 7, there were 22 reports of potentially high blood lead levels (BLLs) in children aged 1 to 3 years who ate the recalled apple sauce. These children's BLLs ranged from 4 to 29 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL), up to eight times the level that is known to cause concern.

These children, who are scattered across 14 U.S. states, exhibited the following symptoms:

Several apple sauce products that were discovered to have exceptionally high lead levels have been recalled, a development that triggered the health advisory from the CDC.

WanaBana LLC voluntarily recalled every batch of its WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Purée in 2.5 oz three-pack pouches on October 28 due to increased lead levels in some units. The recall expanded on November 9 to cover Schnucks Apple Sauce 90 g pouches with cinnamon (lot numbers 05023:19, 09023:22 and 09023:24) and Weis Cinnamon Apple Sauce 90 g pouches (lot number 05023:28).

The illnesses are still under investigation by the FDA, CDC, and other local and state agencies. The agencies have advised consumers not to eat, sell or serve any of the recalled products, and to either return them to the store for full refund or dispose of them.

Parents and caretakers of toddlers and young children who may have been exposed to these lead-ridden products are advised to communicate with their healthcare providers about potential symptoms of lead toxicity and get proper care.

Lead poisoning can be harmful to children in particular as their nervous systems are still developing. When ingested, it gets absorbed more by children than adults.

Children exposed to lead may not exhibit acute symptoms but even at low exposure levels, learning, behavioural and cognitive problems may crop up.

High lead exposure in children may result in acute lead poisoning which affects the gastroenterological, blood and brain systems. This could exhibit as anemia, abdominal pain, weakness, seizures and even a coma. The symptoms reported from those who consumed the recalled applesauce pouches include headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in activity levels and anemia.

The repercussions of early life exposure to lead can extend into adult life, increasing the risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, kidney disorders and fertility issues.

Lead toxicity is difficult to diagnose based on symptoms alone. A blood test is the most effective diagnostic method.

Besides children who may have eaten the recalled apple sauce pouches, others are also at risk. When a child has a BLL higher than the CDC-designated level (3.5 µg/dL), the immediate medical steps include identifying and removing the lead source in the child’s environment, suggesting a diet high in iron and calcium, and conducting follow-up blood tests.

In case of extremely high lead levels in a child's blood, other treatments like chelation therapy, which removes lead from the body, may be suggested.

Parents who have purchased the recalled WanaBana, Schnucks, or Weis cinnamon apple sauce or whose child could have consumed these products should consult a healthcare provider and potentially get their child’s blood tested for lead.