Abdominal Pain, Hair Loss, and Blackened Teeth: 70 Kindergarteners in China Diagnosed with Mass Lead Poisoning (Comprehensive)

Kindergarten Children Show Abnormal Symptoms After Eating Provided Food
Lead Poisoning Confirmed in 70 Out of 74 Tested Children

After eating food at a kindergarten in Gansu Province, northwest China, a large number of children began to show abnormal symptoms, such as the roots of their teeth turning black. Seventy students were diagnosed with lead poisoning.

An incident occurred at a kindergarten in Gansu Province, northwest China, where students were collectively diagnosed with lead poisoning. Baidu

According to local Chinese media outlets such as Jimu News and Hongxing News on July 7, it was recently revealed that students at a kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu Province, had blood lead levels exceeding the normal standard after eating food provided by the kindergarten. A total of 74 students underwent blood lead tests, and 70 of them were diagnosed with lead poisoning. The remaining 4 were confirmed to be within the normal range. Initially, the number of affected children was estimated to be around 20, but this figure increased significantly after additional testing.

According to reports, tests conducted at Xi'an Central Hospital on July 3 and 4 for several parents showed that most children's blood lead levels ranged between 200 and 500 μg/L. This greatly exceeds the normal standard of 100 μg/L or less. In one case, a student's blood lead level reached 528 μg/L, more than five times the normal level.

The children exhibited symptoms such as vomiting, dizziness, abdominal pain, and hair loss, and in some cases, their teeth turned black.

Photo of kindergarten meal related to lead poisoning. Photo by Yonhap News

Local authorities suspect that additives in the "three-color jujube steamed bun" and "corn sausage roll" served at the kindergarten may have exceeded the permitted limits.

Meanwhile, some parents claimed that general hospitals in Tianshui, where the kindergarten is located, informed them that their children's blood lead levels were normal, raising suspicions that the test results may have been manipulated. Jimu News reported, "Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for lead poisoning," and criticized that "inaccurate test results can pose a serious threat to children's health."

As of now, at least 19 children have been hospitalized and are reportedly receiving detoxification treatment. Jimu News stated, "Due to a shortage of pediatric beds at Xi'an Central Hospital, the students have been assigned to the endocrinology, geriatrics, infectious diseases, and gastroenterology wards," adding that "these children are currently receiving intravenous fluids and medication."

Some parents told the media that their children had previously experienced abnormal symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain after eating kindergarten meals. One parent also said that their child had complained of abdominal and leg pain over the past six months.

The teachers claim that they are also victims. The childcare teachers stated that their role was only to bring the food into the classroom and distribute it to the children, and that they were not involved in the food manufacturing process or aware that the food contained lead.

Authorities have launched investigations into the food, tap water, and other sources. Currently, more than 200 samples are undergoing re-examination at the Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.