Routine paediatric lead screening questionnaires may not fully capture current risk factors

Elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) affect a third of the worldwide paediatric population. Current screening tools in the USA focus primarily on exposure to lead-based paint. We describe a case of elevated BLL in a US-born paediatric patient from contaminated turmeric purchased abroad. There has been increasing evidence that imported spices and products are sources of lead due to fewer regulations abroad. Current lead screening questionnaires need to be reconsidered, as they may not fully capture non-traditional risk factors associated with lead poisoning.