Understanding Choking and Lead Hazards with Mattel's Recall

You may be finding that you child's toy box is no longer their best friend. For the second time in only two weeks Mattel and their Fisher Price division has declared a major recall on more than 9 million toys. The toys are considered to have a choking hazard and may contain a hazardous substance called lead.

The recalls should bring to light the safety issues parents need to address when buying toys for their children. As well, you may find that hazards to your children are in your very walls, or favorite antique furniture set. What is Mattel doing to insure better safety regulations in their company? What can we do to insure better safety practices in our homes?

The first class action lawsuit has been reported in the Wall street journal, August 9^th, by a working Alabama mother, she has also included the store chain Target in her lawsuit. Many more have since signed onto the lawsuit and with the newest additions their will certainly be more consumers looking into damages. The company has offered a reimbursement certificate for the specific toys, however many parents are demanding that Mattel pay for medical testing and damages. Now Mattel may find themselves as the target for a worldwide message and lesson to toy companies. Parents want the cost they place into the toys their children love to include the rigorous intentions of companies to keep those children safe as a number one priority.

The two recent recalls from Mattel warn of a possible choking hazards in specific toys and a possibility in lead poisoning in those and some others listed. The company says that the lead containing toys in question were produced in China. The Chinese government has recently been under scrutiny because of questionable practices and uses in many consumer products. In a statement posted on their news release section of their website and on the media, Mattel states that "Consumers should immediately take these products away from children and contact Mattel to arrange return and to receive a voucher for a replacement toy of the consumer's choice, up to the value of the returned product."

Mattel has voluntarily recalled such objects as the "Cars" die cast vehicle line, "Polly Pocket" toys, "Doggy Day Care" toys, and many others. To see a list of the items on the recall you can visit Mattel's personal website and look under news and press releases. You may also visit major news organizations such as CNN, MSNBC, or watch your local news coverage. For more information on the current recalls and for others involving toys along with other products you may visit the CPSC (www.cpsc.gov/) or toysafety.org. Nancy Nord, acting Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) chairman, said "no injuries had been reported with any of the products involved in the recall." Mattel placed full page ads in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, stating that it was "working extremely hard to address your concerns and continue creating safe, entertaining toys for you and your children." Mattel, the most trusted name in childrens toys, may have alot of ropes to jump to reinsure parents trust.

Mattel is not the only company who has manufactured toys that pose a choking hazard. The CPSC reports that each year in the United States they receive at least 15 reports of choking deaths in children fewer than 3 years of age.

How can you protect you family and children again choking hazards? Many companies have age appropriate toys that are intended to be made based on safety concerns. Do not let younger children play with toys intended for an older age group. Check the eyes and nose, as well as any possible buttons or add-ons to stuffed animals to insure proper stitching. Many stuffed dolls or animals may have parts that could easily come lose with pulling or by softening the threads with saliva or liquids. Be especially careful of balloons which are the leading cause of toys deaths in the America. Always double check your floors and stands, as well as homes visiting, for small objects like marbles or uninflated balloons. Most importantly, do not forget that common household items can become major choking hazards in children as well as toys. Remember to place items that are in question out of their reach, whether crawling, standing, or being able to stand on items to extend reach.

If you suspect your child is choking first look for signs of coughing, crying, or any immediate noises to insure breathing is possible. If the victim is not or can not respond to you with noise, begin the Heimlich Maneuver. Continue the Heimlich until the foreign body is expelled. Contact emergency help and continue until they arrive. Follow up with any removal of a foreign object with a doctors checkup to insure no other damage incurred. For more information on the Heimlich Maneuver, CPR, and First Aid contact you local hospital, doctors office, or community college for courses. You may also read information on this subject online at the Mayo Clinic.

The other concern in Mattel toys is the possibility of lead poisoning. One in every ten children has lead in their blood stream. Many children will show no signs of illness despite the lead being within their systems. Lead that is not detected early enough could cause liver, kidney, behavioral, nervous system, and even brain damage. Lead poisoning can cause retardation of growth, learning disabilities, and memory problems. Though many adults can find lead poisoning a hazard children are at greater risk because of their growing patterns. Most products in the U.S. must carry a lead warning which states the use of lead in the product and warns against children touching or using the item. Lead can be found in many areas, most commonly looked for in the physical screening of children are homes built before 1978.

In 1978 the federal government passed laws and guide lines that banned the use of lead based paints in house paints. Many times doctors will include the age of your home on questionnaires to indicate if lead poisoning test are necessary for your child. Lead can also be found in the pipes of your drinking water, unfortunately boiling the water does not remove the risk. Since lead can not be smelled it is recommended that you always let you water run for 15 minutes before use. You may also want to only use cold water when drinking or boiling water from your suspected lead pipes. Lead can also currently be found in paints used in hobbies, ones used on ceramics, lead glazed figurines, cups, porcelain, pottery crafts, and in some of our soils. Lead can be brought into the body by touch, through the dust of old lead paint on walls or homes, and through drinking. Pregnant women should take extra precautions since lead can cause birth defects or infant death.

If you are exposed to lead on the job make sure that you clothes are always washed separately form the rest of your families. Take a shower upon immediate return of work and take precautions by covering any parts of your body the workplace will allow. For children who you suspect to have been in contact with lead, and for those now exposed to the Mattel list of toys, there is testing available. You pediatrician or PCP can administer a simple blood test to test the levels of lead within the blood stream. Once tested early treatment can offset any medical damages. The treatments for lead poisoning consist of several levels. The first level is prevention.

You can try limiting exposure to lead and repeated lead testing. You can also ask you doctor about increasing calcium and iron in your child's diet. A deficiency may increase the body's abilities to adsorb lead. Although the normal level in a child is 0, levels of less than 9 in their bodies can be considered safe. If the levels are over 9 the treatment varies. According to the Keep Kids Healthy Website. Levels of lead under 45 would require repeated testeing every 3-6 months. You may also have to receive water, soil, and home testing by the proper local organizations to see where the possible contamination is coming from. For levels about 45 and into ranges of 69 medical therapy and retesting are required.

Chelation therapy may be used to help treat the lead poisoning. Medications are used to help lower the lead levels and encourage them to pass through the urine. Chemet and Succimer are two of the oral agent which may be used. Doctors may also use an injected chelating agent such as, Imercaprol, for high lead numbers.

To find out more information on the Mattel/Fisher Price recall visit Mattel's website homepage. You may also find information on major new organizations (CNN, MSNBC, and FOX NEWS). For information on this current recall and to keep up to date on all recalls you visit www.cpsc.gov/ You may also visit your local states department of health website. To keep up to date on childhood safety you may link to one of these sites:
http://www.ou.edu/oupd/kidsafe/kidmenu.htm
www.safekids.com/
www.kids.gov/
www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/

Remember when in doubt, contact you local 911, fire department, poison control center, pediatrician, hospital, and police station. Be apart of your communities safety net by helping spread the word about child safety, prevention is always the best medicine.