On the intimate relationship between xanthan powder and childhood lead poisoning

Baby G, 9 months old, was admitted to the emergency room for vomiting, lethargy, and convulsions and was diagnosed with moderate lead poisoning. He was asked about his medical history and was chronically coated with jaundice powder. Baby H, 3 months old, hospitalized with pneumonia, blood lead value showed mild lead poisoning. He was treated with yellow powder for 2 months for red buttocks. Huang Dan powder is also known as Lead Dan, the main component of which is lead tetraoxide. According to ancient Chinese medical records, lead pellets are pungent, salty, cold and toxic. Chinese medicine believes that lead has the effect of detoxifying and killing insects, eliminating swelling and decaying, astringent and muscle-generating, stabilizing and calming epilepsy, calming asthma and expelling phlegm, lowering rebellion and removing vomiting. It can be applied externally and taken internally. It is the tradition of Chinese medicine to use lead in medicine. Generally, lead and its compounds (preparations) are little absorbed by the intact skin, but they are easy to enter the body when there is skin damage. The skin and mucous membrane barrier function of infants and children is weak, especially if it is applied for a long time, over a large area, or on ulcers, it can become toxic. Although the use of powdered xanthan to treat infant rashes and relieve itching can have visible good results, it is harmful to use it as a topical medicine for infants and children. Of course, many parents do not know that it contains lead, let alone that it is toxic. Lead is a kind of heavy metal poison, and lead poisoning can lead to low immune function, recurrent infection, abdominal pain, paranoia, backward physical growth and development, and mental retardation in children. Studies show that blood lead is negatively correlated with children’s cognitive ability and psychological development, and no critical level of lead action has been observed, thus suggesting that there is no safe critical level of lead damage to children’s health.