Stay Ahead of Lead

In the wake of the recent toy recalls, we asked Camino Medical Group (CMG) pediatrician Paul Protter, M.D., for a perspective on lead and health.

"There are no safe levels of childhood exposure to lead, so if your child played with a recalled toy for a month or more, take them to their doctor for a blood test. It’s the quickest way to find out if your child has accumulated hazardous amounts of lead," cautions Dr. Protter. "Read and heed the recall lists and get any toys containing lead out of your house."

Lead poisoning is seldom triggered by a single event of ingestion or exposure. The common danger is exposure on a regular or daily basis that leads to accumulation of lead in the body.

"That’s why the lead-tainted toys are so threatening for children, because youngsters tend to handle and mouth their toys a lot," Dr. Protter says.

Toy jewelry can also contain lead. Whether bought from a vending machine or attached as a freebie on a pair of shoes or backpack, leaded trinkets have made many children ill. Some have even died from ingestion.

Why would lead be used in a toy?

Lead may be used in two aspects of toy manufacturing: paint and plastic. Nearly 30 years ago, the U.S. banned lead in house paint, products marketed to children, and in dishes or cookware. Yet, it is still widely used in other countries and our nation is a big importer of these categories of products.

The use of lead in plastics has not been banned. Lead is used as an additive to make plastic softer and more flexible, so it is released as dust as the plastic deteriorates.