The Effect of Lead Poisoning

Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning because their central nervous systems are not yet fully developed. Lead can enter easily enter in their body because lead ions are similar in charge and size as those of iron, zinc and calcium ions. When these ions are replaced by lead in certain enzymes, activities like growth and behavior regulation are affected. Calcium plays a very important function in the body, aside for the proper development of bones, calcium serves as vehicles used by the brain to send signals throughout the body. If this function is interrupted, this can cause major neurological defects, including central nervous system disorders like wrist drop, learning disabilities, and speech and language defects.

Too much lead can also interrupt the normal function of vital organs such as kidney, brain and bones. It can cause excessive production of some proteins whose role is to bind specifically to other molecules. This causes harm to bones and teeth production, learning disabilities and reduced mental capacity, even renal failure.

How Are Children Exposed to Lead Poisoning?

Routes of exposure to lead include contaminated air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. One of the largest threats to children is lead paint that exists in many homes and toxic toys. Children may also be exposed to lead contained in children’s products. While accessible lead in consumer products has been banned, discoveries of both accessible lead and lead paint in or on children’s toys and clothing have prompted millions of unit recalls.

According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 250,000 U.S. children aged 1-5 years have blood lead levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, the level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated. Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body.

Prevention From Toxic Toys

When buying toys for your children look for toy certification, it is usually on the label. The toy should have a little note about the manufacturing country. It will also say “tested by” a government or another agency. Make sure this exists on the label or box of the toy. It will verify that it has been tested for harmful effects of dangerous chemicals.

Research the toy before purchasing it. Healthy Stuff is a database listing over 1,000 toys. The site tests and grades toys, and reports on the chemical amounts for each one. There’s nothing more important the being aware and educated. The best thing you can do to avoid lead poisoning is by preventing it.

Understanding Lead Poisoning in Toxic Toys is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

Safe Toys this Holiday Season

We buy toys to our children to not only to entertain and bring fun, but also to help them in their development. Toys provide an amazing source of learning and entertainment for kids of all ages. Toys have wonderful ways in fostering creativity and stimulating intellectual developments. But with the many recent recalls of toys, even from those of big toy manufacturers who had been in a market for ages, it is important to choose toys that are age appropriate and safe for your kids.

This holiday season, it is expected to have the influx of toys. As parents, we should be aware of the danger these toys could bring to our children. We have to be aware and selective when it comes to giving toys to our kids. Dangerous designs, toys containing illegal levels of lead, toys that are inappropriate for the age of the child and toys that have strong magnets that can be deadly if swallowed are examples of toys that should be avoided.

Let me give some quick tip on how to select safe toys for your toys this holiday season.

1. Choose toys that are suitable for the child’s age and/or skill level. If you are not sure, ask a salesperson for suggestions of age appropriate toys.

2. It pays to read the labels. Take time to read the labels of the toy you are buying. Check for age appropriateness and safety recommendations. Do not presume that a bright child can safely handle a toy created for a much older child.

3. When buy a riding toy such as a skateboard, bicycle, or roller blades make sure to purchase protective gear as well. Protective gear should include helmet, elbow pads and knee pads. Be sure that the protective gear fits the child perfectly before allowing the child to ride the toy.

4. For young kids who seem to put everything in their mouths, choose large toys to avoid choking hazards.

5. Look for durable and well made toys. Avoid toys made of brittle plastic that can break and leave hazardous points or edges.

6. If possible avoid buying toys with projectiles such as rockets or darts. Improper use can cause serious eye injury.

7. Avoid buying toys with magnets for children under age of 6. Magnets are hazardous, when swallowed it can cause serious internal injuries and may require surgery to remove.

8. Buy toys that meet the safety standards set forth in CSMC’s ASTM F963. The ASTM-F963 is a standard that covers the requirements and contains test methods for toys intended to use by children under 14 years old.

9. Research the companies you are buying from to determine their safety history and their reputation for addressing and eliminating problems and concerns.

With these tips you can buy toys for your children this Christmas season and be assured of their safety and quality. Bear in mind that the safety of our children is a mutual cooperation between the toy manufacturer and consumers. As for Latoystore.com we do all we can to ensure that your children can reap all the benefits a quality toy have to offer without being in harmful.

How to Select Safe Holiday Toys is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog

Children are particularly at risk to any poisoning including lead because of their immature defense system and organs particular important for detoxification like liver. Children if exposed to high levels of lead either through acute ingestion or by chronic exposure like toys containing lead may have spectrum of ill health effects like behavioral problems, cognitive and learning difficulties, and physical disabilities. The toxic dose for children proposed by CDC is about 10 ug/dl, however, the effects of lead below the level of 10 ug/dl is not fully understood but many researchers have proposed that it is equally dangerous to children. The most dangerous aspect of lead poisoning in children is that once lead enters into the their body, it may take even years to get out of the body and thus pose great threats to child’s health during this period. Children of all ages are equally susceptible to deleterious effects of lead poisoning. Though various products high levels of lead like paint have been made to minimize or eliminate the lead content, lead is still being shown in various other products including toys. Toys being imported from China has shown to contain lead are commonly bought in U.S. for children. Though we have not seen mass epidemic or some set of symptoms, but absence of symptoms in these children does not eliminate the over risk of toxicity because hidden symptoms could be as lethal as visible ones. Medical community is still figuring out the possible tests or protocols to find out the ways for diagnosis of lead toxicity if lead content in body is at low levels. Should we negate the problem because we do not see it or we as parents should do something about it and ask the relevant governmental agencies and concerned departments including healthcare regulating bodies to do something about it? Of course not every toys imported from China contains lead but it is important to filter those manufactures producing lead contaminated toys is important so that we can have safe toys for our children to play with.

Lead Poisoning: A Threat to Children’s Health is a post from: LA Toy Store's Blog