For most people, the doctor who treats lead poisoning is the one they already have: a child’s pediatrician or an adult’s family doctor, working together with the local health department. When blood lead levels are high, the CDC tells that doctor to bring in specialists, such as a Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU), Poison Control or a medical toxicologist.
In short: start with your own doctor or your child’s pediatrician and ask for a blood lead test. Your local health department can often test too, and it follows up on high results. Workers exposed on the job can also see an occupational medicine clinic. At higher levels, the CDC’s guidance has the doctor consult a PEHSU or Poison Control, and at the highest levels a medical toxicologist or a pediatrician experienced in lead poisoning, sometimes with a hospital stay. For urgent questions call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222; for a seizure, collapse or trouble breathing, call 911.
This page sums up what the CDC, ATSDR, NIOSH, OSHA and the specialist networks publish. It is not medical advice; only a provider who knows the patient can decide on care.
Who to see first: your own doctor
The CDC’s advice to parents is simple: if you believe your child has been exposed to lead, talk to your child’s health care provider, who may order a blood lead test. Most children with lead in their blood have no obvious symptoms (see lead poisoning symptoms). Our blood lead test guide explains the finger-prick and blood-draw versions and what a result means.
The CDC’s clinical guidance is written for these providers: it tells them what to do at each blood lead level, from education and repeat tests to reporting, home investigations and specialist referrals. Your regular doctor is not just a gatekeeper; for most people with lead exposure, that doctor manages the follow-up. Our guide to lead screening for children covers when children are usually tested.
For adults, NIOSH, the CDC’s worker-safety institute, says that if you or someone in your household works with lead, tell your doctor, and ask about a blood lead test if your employer does not offer routine testing. See lead testing for adults for who should ask.
Your local health department’s lead program
The CDC says health care providers and most local health departments can test for lead in the blood. The CDC also funds childhood lead poisoning prevention programs run by state and local health departments. When a child’s result is at or above the CDC’s blood lead reference value of 3.5 µg/dL, the CDC tells the doctor to report it to the state or local health department, which may then follow the child, help the family find the source and arrange a home investigation where local rules require one.
What each program offers is set by the state or city, so call your county or city health department and ask for its lead program. Our lead poisoning test page lists other places to get tested.
Lead poisoning specialists
Three kinds of specialists come up in official guidance, working alongside your own doctor.
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU)
The PEHSU network was created in 1998 by ATSDR, the CDC’s agency for toxic substances, with support from the EPA. It has ten regional units based at academic health institutions, each covering a group of states, with experts in pediatrics, environmental medicine and clinical toxicology. According to pehsu.net, pediatric and obstetric providers, public health departments and other health professionals can contact their regional unit for a consultation on children’s or pregnancy-related environmental exposures, lead included. ATSDR says the units also work with parents, schools and community groups.
Note for families: the national PEHSU site says the units do not provide clinical services. Your doctor can consult the regional unit. Find yours on the PEHSU regions page, which lists the states each region covers with phone and email contacts. We could not find a published statement on whether consultations cost anything, so ask your regional unit.
Medical toxicologists
Medical toxicologists are physicians who specialize in poisoning. The CDC’s guidance names them for the highest blood lead levels, where the provider consults “a medical toxicologist or pediatrician with experience in treating lead poisoning” about treatment. The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) runs a public Find a Toxicologist directory that can be filtered by state and by inpatient or outpatient services. Some poison centers are listed in the directory too.
Occupational medicine doctors, for workers
Most adults with high blood lead are exposed at work, according to NIEHS. OSHA’s lead standards require employers to provide medical surveillance, including blood lead tests, without cost to employees who are or may be exposed at or above the action level for more than 30 days a year. The Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC) keeps a clinic directory of member clinics that see workers with job-related illness and people exposed to environmental hazards.
Who to see, when, and how to find them
| Who | When to see them | How to find one |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatrician or family doctor | First stop for any lead worry, a blood lead test and all follow-up | Your own provider, or ask your health department where to go |
| Local health department | Testing, follow-up of high results, home investigations where required | Your county or city health department’s lead program |
| Poison Control | Someone swallowed something that may contain lead, or you have urgent questions | 1-800-222-1222, free and confidential, 24/7 |
| PEHSU | Your doctor wants expert advice on a child’s or pregnancy exposure (CDC: at 20 µg/dL and above) | pehsu.net, by region; no clinical care |
| Medical toxicologist | Very high levels (CDC: 45 µg/dL and above), usually through your doctor or a hospital | ACMT Find a Toxicologist; ask your doctor or Poison Control |
| Occupational medicine clinic | Lead exposure at work | Your employer’s medical program; AOEC clinic directory |
| Emergency room / 911 | Seizure, collapse, trouble breathing or other severe symptoms | Call 911 |
What the CDC tells doctors to do at each level
Which specialist joins in depends on the blood lead level. In the CDC’s guidance for children’s providers (dated August 21, 2025), each step includes the ones before it:
- Below 3.5 µg/dL: the regular doctor teaches families about lead sources, checks development and diet, and retests based on age and risk.
- 3.5 to 19 µg/dL: the doctor reports to the health department, takes an exposure history, arranges a home investigation as required locally and schedules follow-up tests.
- 20 to 44 µg/dL: a full history and exam, and the doctor contacts a PEHSU or Poison Control for guidance.
- 45 µg/dL and above: the doctor consults a medical toxicologist or a pediatrician experienced in lead poisoning about treatment, and admits the child to a hospital as soon as possible if there are signs or symptoms. The CDC also tells doctors to consider admission when the home is not lead-safe and no lead-free housing is available.
Our blood lead levels page puts these numbers in context, and lead poisoning treatment explains what the CDC and ATSDR say about care, including why there is no home treatment.
When to call Poison Control or 911
Poison Control, at 1-800-222-1222, connects you to your local poison center, where trained nurses, pharmacists or doctors answer; HRSA says the call is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day. Call if a child swallowed a paint chip, a fishing weight or anything else that might contain lead, or if you have urgent questions. For a seizure, collapse or trouble breathing, call 911. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) also lists vomiting or seizures as reasons to call 911.
What to bring to the appointment
- Test results: every blood lead result you have, with dates, and whether each was a finger-prick or a blood draw from a vein.
- Home information: the year your home was built (paint before 1978 may contain lead), any recent renovation, peeling paint, known lead pipes, and any home or water test results. See lead paint testing and lead in water testing.
- Products: names or photos of imported spices, foods, candies, remedies, cosmetics, pottery or toys you use, or the items themselves if the doctor asks. See lead in household items.
- Work and hobbies: jobs and hobbies of everyone in the home, since NIOSH notes lead dust can come home on work clothes and shoes.
Questions to ask the doctor
- Was this a finger-prick or a venous test, and does it need to be confirmed?
- When should the next blood lead test be?
- Will you report this to the health department, and will someone check our home?
- Should other people in the household be tested?
- Do you plan to consult a PEHSU, Poison Control or a medical toxicologist?
For what usually happens over the following months, see lead poisoning recovery.
Insurance and Medicaid
The CDC says many private insurance policies cover the cost of blood lead testing, and for children enrolled in Medicaid the cost is covered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A 2016 CMS bulletin states that all children enrolled in Medicaid are required to receive blood lead screening tests at 12 and 24 months, and any child aged 24 to 72 months with no record of a previous test must receive one. The same bulletin says Medicaid can reimburse lead investigations in the home of a child with elevated blood lead. Workers covered by OSHA’s lead standards get medical surveillance from their employer at no cost. Ask your insurer about specialist visits.
For the bigger picture on lead and health, start at our lead poisoning hub.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of doctor treats lead poisoning?
Usually a pediatrician or family doctor, with the local health department. At higher levels the CDC tells that doctor to consult a PEHSU or Poison Control, and at the highest levels a medical toxicologist or a pediatrician experienced in lead poisoning.
Is there a lead poisoning specialist near me?
Check ACMT’s Find a Toxicologist directory, your regional PEHSU on pehsu.net, and the AOEC clinic directory if the exposure is from work. Your doctor or health department can also refer you.
Can I call a PEHSU myself?
PEHSUs mainly advise health professionals, but ATSDR says they also work with parents, and each region lists a phone and email. They do not provide clinical care.
Should I go to the emergency room for lead exposure?
Call 911 for severe symptoms such as a seizure, collapse or trouble breathing. Otherwise, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or your doctor; they will tell you whether you need to be seen right away.
Does insurance pay for a blood lead test?
The CDC says many private plans cover it, and Medicaid covers it for enrolled children. OSHA requires employers to provide it free to covered workers.
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