Blog Topic

Important Facts about Lead in the Wake of the Mattel Toy Recall
August 15, 2007

Because of its high malleability, abundance, and resistance to corrosion, lead was one of the first and most popular metals humans worked with. Unfortunately, its high toxicity was not discovered for millennia because the symptoms of lead poisoning are not immediate or obvious. When the US banned the use of lead paint in 1978, many thought that the risk of lead poisoning in this country was over. But the recent recalls of millions of children's toys and products from El Segundo, California based Mattel, Inc. and other companies have again raised concerns about this once commonly used metal.

Lead is toxic to humans because the metal mimics other, important, metals in the body. Proteins and molecules can bind with lead that enters the bloodstream instead of metals that are natural to the body such as calcium, iron or zinc. After the molecules are displaced from lead, they function irregularly and may fail to produce certain enzymes vital to the central nervous system.

Anyone can suffer from lead poisoning, but since children grow so rapidly and are still developing their neurological functions, they often suffer the worst effects. Because lead has to be ingested to have serious effects, children are especially vulnerable. They commonly put their hands or objects (such as toys with lead paint) in their mouths. Children also simply soak up more toxic material than adults. A growing child's body can absorb up to 50% of lead they ingest, while a developed adult's body usually only absorbs 10%.

A large majority of lead poisoning cases come from lead paint. Although lead paint has been banned in the US for decades, the Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that lead paint is still found in about 38 million homes in the US. However, toxic lead can come from other sources as well, such as construction sites, ceramic pottery, and old lead pipes.

Children who are consistently exposed to lead paint may end up suffering from lower IQ, learning disabilities, or behavior problems. Extreme cases of lead poisoning may cause staggering gait, muscle weakness, seizures, or coma.

The best way to avoid lead poisioning is to simply elimate all traces of lead from your home. If you want to check to see if your walls, children's toys, jewlrey or pottery contain lead paint, you can purchase a lead check kit from your local hardware store. These kits are easy to use and can detect the presence of lead in almost any household item, but can't check the level.

If you feel you or your children have suffered serious injury from lead poisoning exposure, don't hesitate to call the experienced personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group.

Permalink

Toying with Danger: Mattel
August 06, 2007

The last thing you should worry about when you buy a toy for your child is the specter of poisoning or injury, and probably trust that companies that produce the dolls, balls, and other products children play with take every precaution necessary to guarantee child safety. Yet the manner in which large toy manufacturers are routinely forced to remove tainted products from store shelves suggest that child safety is becoming less and less of a priority. Last week El Segundo, California based Mattel Inc., the world's largest toymaker, recalled close to a million plastic toys from stores nationwide after tests revealed they may contain lead.

This wasn't the first instance of such negligence on the part of toy companies. As recently as June, RC2 Corp. was forced to recall 1.5 million of its wooden railroad parts from its Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway product line because they were coated with lead paint. In both instances, the products in question were manufactured in China.

The symptoms of lead poisoning usually aren't immediately obvious, but can have detrimental effects on a child's development. Children who suffer from lead poisoning can experience slowed body growth, reduced IQ, hearing problems, behavior problems, and kidney damage. Pediatricians across California have advised parents to get their children tested for lead poisoning if they fear they have been exposed to lead from these tainted toys. The plastic pre-schooler toys were likely sold between May and August of 2007.

Increased competitiveness in the toy marketplace has forced more than 80% of the country's toy manufacturer's to outsource to countries like China. Chinese factories, under pressure to reduce costs, sometimes cut corners without informing the distributor. However, when basic quality and safety guidelines aren't adhered to, parents and consumers shouldn't just worry - they should be very angry. Mattel now says it's investigating why the manufacturer in question did not use approved paints and suppliers.

From the recently recalled exploding radio control airplanes to burn injury causing toy ovens, hazardous toys have become almost a routine feature and there is every reason to believe that more recalls are on the way.

If your child has suffered injury caused by a hazardous toy, call the personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group.

Permalink