Local Doctor Says Don't Worry Get Your Child Tested For Lead

Toys that have not been recalled can be a danger to your children, including Hannah Montana Pop Star Cards.

    

That's the latest word from an independent group that tested 1200 toys still on the shelves and found some have lead levels even higher than the federal recall standards.  The results are being released by the Michigan-based Ecology Center along with the National Center for Health, Environment and Justice.

        

Other items found to have excessive lead levels include a Go Diego Go backpack and Circo brand shoes. Jewelry for children was found to have the most lead contamination.

According to the Associated Press, a spokesman for the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission says they will look at the findings and could issue more recalls.

   

So how do you know your child hasn't been playing with a contaminated toy and if they have lead poisoning?

      

We talked to a local doctor who says you may want to test sooner rather than later.  It seems like every time you turn around there is another toy recall because of too much lead.  Michelle Schott of Greenville says, "Because he is over two and a half and he doesn't tend to eat his toys anymore, I still look at them more carefully but I am not screening as I would an infant."

It is hard to know if that new toy your child received is poisoning him.

"You know it’s very subtle there are not many outward signs or symptoms for most children. It is cognitive loss or behavioral problems."

Things like hyperactivity and trouble paying attention can be indicators. Pediatrician Dr. Jill Golden says she's received several calls from concerned parents wanting to know if they should have their child tested. She says if you are worried, why not get them tested.

Dr. Golden says, "If parents are worried about it they are not going to feel better until they go and have the test done. I mean they just aren't going to."

 To test your child for lead, all the doctor will need to do is draw blood and you will have your results in about two hours. 

    

However, Dr. Golden says if a child is under two they should be tested each year anyway.  Otherwise, according to Dr. Golden, with so much uncertainty out there about the toys our children are playing with at least you can be certain about their exposure and put the worry behind you. At homes lead testing kits are available if online if you would like to test your children's toys.

For more information on lead testing and poisoning click on this link: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/surv/stats.htm

For more information on already recalled toys click on this link:

http://cfapps.mgnetwork.com/LocalApps/mgn/imd/toys/index.cfm?siteID=SPA 

For more information on the latest toy testing from the Ecology Center click on this link: http://www.healthytoys.org