Lead poisoning is the toxicity of lead when it enters the body through inhalation or ingestion of lead through paint, dust or soil containing lead. The damage it causes is not outwardly seen in the initial stages, the neurological damage is occurring even though it is not obvious. Even at low levels, lead poisoning has devastating effects on reading, writing, concentration and abstract thinking in children. Once lead gets into the bloodstream it is carried to the rest of the body. Virtually every part of the body is affected by lead. Lead exposure causes decreased intelligence, short term memory loss, impairment of visual-motor function, loss of auditory memory, poor perceptual integration, poor classroom behavior, and impaired reaction time. Lead also interferes with bone formation because it blocks the absorption of calcium. In the kidney, the accumulation of lead can lead to kidney disease. Growth in children can be stunted due to lead poisoning and there are multiple behavioral issues that can be traced to lead poisoning. High doses of lead poisoning often result in seizures and unconsciousness. Treatment of lead poisoning depends on the amount of exposure. Kids with severe cases of lead will need to be hospitalized and treated with a chelating agent which binds to the lead and helps the body get rid of it.