More Recalled Toys... Ugh!

Three years after the big lead toy debacle, and there is still no way to know whether the toys you are buying for your child contain toxic chemicals. This is ridiculous! The toys should be tested before they are put on store shelves instead of after a child gets sick!

FROM ABC: There is another warning tonight about products that could be a danger to your children. Once again, they come from China, this time in the form of jewelry made with a toxic metal. The government is investigating-- while stores-- including Walmart-- stop selling the suspect items.

They may look pretty.. but test results.. show certain pieces of children's jewelry.. contain alarming levels of the heavy metal cadmium. Ashland University Chemistry Professor Jeff Weidenhamer said, "Cadmium compared to lead is more toxic. It's a known carcinogen. It is highly toxic to adults and to children. There's recent research indicating that it affects the brain learning disabilities and loss of I.Q."

Some of the jewelry.. all made in China.. proved to be 80 to 90 per cent cadmium.. including best friends bracelets from claire's boutiques.. rudolph reindeer charms sold at a dollar store. and flip flop bracelets from wal-mart. Both Walmart and Claire's have pulled those items from shelves.

Weidenhamer said, "So it's a really significant toxin. It bio-accumulates in the body and it's a really nasty metal to put in jewelry." Experts say prices for cadmium have dropped.. making it a cheaper option in manufacturing.. not to mention.. using the heavy metal in children's jewelry is not * specifically* prohibited. China's product safety agency vows to examine the investigation's findings.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission is launching an investigation.. of its own.. and circulating this warning to asian manufacturers.
Inez Tenebaum chairman, consumer product safety commission "I would highly encourage all of you to ensure that toy manufacturers and children's product manufacturers in your country are not substituting cadmium, antimony, barium in place of lead." What can parents do? Take all cheap costume jewelry *away* from their children.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Lead Poisoning

Most of you probably took into consideration where your child's toys were made when you went shopping for the holidays. Lets face it, we have to be careful. We don't want to be handing our kids something with lead based paint, and now-a-days that seems extremely probable.

But what if the window sill in your child's room is just as toxic? Any home built before 1978 could contain lead based paint. Just painting over the old stuff doesn't protect your kids from getting lead poisoning and having life long learning problems. The biggest challenge with lead poisoning is it's hard to detect. The symptoms can be mild or mimic other illnesses.

Behavioral symptoms in children(according to WebMD)

• Irritability or aggressiveness
• Hyperactivity, being easily distracted,
• impulsiveness
• Learning problems
• Lack of interest in play
• Loss of appetite

Neurological symptoms (caused by effects of lead on the nervous system)

• Poor coordination
• Weakness in hands and feet
• Headaches
• Seizures
• Paralysis
• Coma

If you suspect your child has lead poisoning, especially if you live in a home built before 1978 that has cracking or chipping paint, you can have your pediatrician do a simple blood test for lead. Most public health departments also test kids. If the test is positive, you can look into different forms of treatment including chelation.
From WebMD:

"A recent study showed that declines in IQ can even be seen in children with blood lead concentrations below 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (10 mcg/dL), the level of concern defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization."

Here's a video report dealing with how lead paint is removed from a home safely. It's not as easy as most people think.

Lead Poisoning video on YouTube (2:08)

-NewsAnchorMom Jen