bostonglobe.com

The specialists at Boston Children’s Hospital were stumped. Usually when they encounter children with high levels of lead in their blood, the problem is traced to chipped, lead-based paint in families’ homes or yards.

But disease trackers found no problematic paint or other obvious source of lead at the home of the 6-month old.

Additional probing revealed that since the boy was 2 weeks old, his family had been applying a Nigerian eye cosmetic and folk remedy that is 83 percent lead to his eyelids. His family believed that the powder, Tiro, would make the boy more attractive and improve his vision.

Now federal health officials are issuing an alert, prompted by the case, about the risk of heavy metal poisoning from folk remedies found in many immigrant cultures.

A report Thursday from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention details the case and highlights the large number of cultures in Asia, ­Africa, and the Middle East that use similar eye cosmetics that may contain lead. The products include kohl from Arab countries and surma or kajal from India and Pakistan.

In the case of the Nigerian eye powder, also known as tozali or kwalli, the CDC said it has been used in that country to “ward off the evil eye”; to ­relieve eye strain, pain, or soreness; and to prevent infection in infants after the umbilical cord is severed.

CDC officials advised obstetricians, pediatricians, midwives, and other health care professionals to discuss potential health risks with patients during prenatal and early childhood medical visits.