Get the Lead Out: Check Your Toys TodayWith more recalls announced daily, keep track of new threats, too
"First, avoid panicking," says pediatrician Kenn Saruwatari, M.D., who sits on the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition Board. "Go through your children's toys and check to see if any are on the list of toys that have been recalled." You can find the list--back to 1973-- at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Web site. You can even sign up for e-mail updates. If you have toys that have been recalled, don't just throw them out. Take them back to the store where they came from. In some cases, you can get a refund even without a receipt. Check the recall "remedy," as it's known, on the CPSC Web site. As little as 10 to 20 percent of recalled toys are returned to stores. The rest are floating around out there. They surface at yard sales or secondhand stores. Some are even reclaimed from the trash after well-meaning parents throw them out. Lead has been found in a wide range of toys, often in off-brand items made in other countries and imported into the United States. Lead can be found in the surface paint or colored pigment of toys, in flexible vinyl or plastic parts on toys, and in metal toys-- especially cheap metal charms and toy jewelry, often sold in discount shops and vending machines. Although lead was banned in toys made in the United States in 1978, older American toys, antique toys, and heirloom collectibles may expose children to lead. The toxic metal may also be in lunch boxes or vinyl or plastic bibs and children's backpacks. Parents are also advised against giving children adult costume jewelry to play with, as that may also contain lead. If you suspect a lead problem with any toy or non-toy item, take it away from the child, wash the child's hands, and clean the area where the toy was kept or used. Wash your child's hands frequently throughout the day, especially before eating, after playing outdoors, and before bedtime. "It's hand-to-mouth contact with lead that we're concerned about," says Dr. Saruwatari. Ingesting lead can harm kids' development. "No amount of lead is good for children," says Dr. Saruwatari. "If a child has been playing with a toy that has paint that is flaking or is in deteriorated condition, talk with your pediatrician to see if your child's lead levels should be tested. A simple blood test is all it takes."
For more information, see LEAD POISONING in our online Health Guide at Kapiolani.org.
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You've heard lots of reports about lead
paint causing recalls of children's toys.
While federal officials and health experts
work to fix the problem, what can you
do to keep your kids safe?
