A huge Fischer-Price toy recall was announced yesterday. Over 1 million toys made in China may contain excessive amounts of lead paint which as you know is toxic to small children and infants. The toys were sold between May and August, 2007 and represent Nickelodeon and Sesame Street characters.
Here are the key links to sort out if you have the toys being recalled:
Mattel Recall Information Page
List of Nickelodeon and Sesame Street Toys with the Lead Paint Hazard
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all kids get screened for lead between the ages of 1-2. Some kids may get screened again if they live in older homes depending on their risk. If you have these toys at home, and your kids have not played with the toys, you have little to worry about. However, if your kids have been playing with these toys, there still may be nothing to worry about. If your kids have been playing with the toys properly, there is little risk to them. The risk comes when they ingest the lead paint. So, it's the small kids who put the toys in their mouths or who crawl on the floor near the toys where some paint may have chipped off.
If you have one of the recalled toys, follow the procedure for returning the toy, clean your floors well to remove any dust from the toy that may have rubbed off the toy, and call your pediatrician. Likely nothing more will need to be done but your pediatrician can sort through with you based on the ages of your kids and how your kids were playing with the toy whether a lead test is needed or not.
While it is true that lead in the body is harmful to children, exposure to lead doesn't necessarily translate to a high blood lead level. In other words, just because a child is exposed to a huge amount of lead in a toy, doesn't mean that child will end up having a high blood lead level - only a blood test can determine that. And, keep in mind that if the toy looks intact, the exposure is likely very low if at all. Parents often confuse exposure to lead with lead poisoning which is the amount of lead that ended up in the body. The two don't necessarily go hand in hand. But, again, a simple blood test will quickly sort that out.
Here are some lead poisoning resources which may help allay any more concerns you may have:
Information on Lead Poisoning
Testing for Lead Poisoning
Image: Mattel Web Site
2 comments:
Dear Dr. Gwenn,
While I understand your desire to keep parents from panicking over the recalls for lead, I disagree that it takes huge amounts of lead to actually harm a child. One small piece of a toy (or a charm) can cause a great deal of damage.
Sincerely,
Kara Eastman
Kara:
While I appreciate your concern, your statement is not entirely true. You are correct that lead does cause harm but it is the amount a child ingests that causes harm. That is why people should not panic and should talk to their pediatrician and obtain a blood lead test. Based on a child's blood lead level, a child's pediatrician can better determine the risk to that child from that child's lead exposure and potential harm from that exposure.
Even in times we worry that a child's risk is high we don't alway see an elevation in blood lead levels. So, before people panic they should talk to their pediatricians and take a thoughtful approach.
Dr. Gwenn
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