Lead Exposure, the Facts : Q and A with Children’s Hospital Boston Toxicologists
Recent toy recalls may leave you wondering about your child’s exposure to lead. Read on to get the facts from Children’s Hospital Boston’s Michael Shannon, MD, MPH, an emergency physician, toxicologist and co-director of the Pediatric Environmental Health Center at Children’s Hospital Boston and Alan Woolf, MD, MPH, a paediatrician, toxicologist, co-director of the Pediatric Environmental Health Center and director of the Environmental Medicine Program at Children’s Hospital Boston.
Why were some toys recalled?They were recalled for one of two reasons. Some toys were coated in lead paint. Others contained loose magnets.Why is lead dangerous?Little by little, it can collect in your child’s blood, brain, and bones. At toxic levels, it can affect language, attention and even IQ. These effects may take a long time to appear.What ages are at risk?Lead can affect people of all ages, but children aged 6 and younger are especially at risk, in part because their growing bodies absorb more lead.How would lead get inside my child’s body?Your child can swallow dust or paint chips that contain lead.Is my child at risk for lead exposure?Possibly. But if your child has played with a recalled toy, there’s no reason to panic. Lead can’t be inhaled or absorbed through intact skin. Eating one flake of lead-containing paint isn’t harmful.The concern would be if your child is swallowing a lot of lead over time, which is “not easy to do from these toys,” says Shannon. Look out for these scenarios:
- Your child repeatedly chews on a toy recalled for lead-based paint, and paint is missing.
- Your child plays with antique toys that are painted or metal, such as tea sets.
- Lead paint or dust in homes built before 1978
- Traditional home remedies, such as azarcon and greta
- Old jewellery
- Drinking water contaminated by old pipes
- Home remodelling
- Send recalled toys back to the manufacturer.
- Read toy labels. Don’t give your child toys intended for older children.
To minimize your child’s lead exposure:
- In your house:
- Have your home checked for lead
- Have professionals remove lead-based paint
- Take precautions when remodelling
- Wash kid-accessible surfaces with soapy water
- In your family:
- Wash hands before meals and bed
- Wipe your toddler’s hands off periodically in-between meals, especially if they have been playing outside
- With your child:
- Wash pacifiers, toys, and bottles
- When in doubt, test your child’s toy for lead
Where can I find more information?You can learn more about Mattel’s 2007 toy recall at: http://www.mattel.com/safety/us/ See “Recall Details and Toy Listings” for an up-to-date recall list.Visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission for an updated list of all toys recalled for lead paint, magnets, or choking hazards at: http://www.cpsc.gov/(Source: Rachel Pugh : Children’s Hospital Boston : August 2007)
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