Lead Poisoning (Plumbism) By Gerald F O'Malley, DO, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center; Rika O'Malley, MD, Grand Strand Medical Center Reviewed / Revised Jun 2022 | Modified Sep 2022 View Patient Education Etiology Symptoms and Signs Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Key Points Lead poisoning often causes minimal symptoms at first but can cause acute encephalopathy or irreversible organ damage, commonly resulting in cognitive deficits in children.