Many parents do not have awareness of lead poisoning in your toys of your kids. Although toy makers should take full resposibility of this and refrain from putting the metal in their devices, a great deal of toys which have been produced through outsourcing in another countries, especially in China, has been released, putting health of many children at risk. That is the reasons for an abundance of toy recalls due to lead contamination.
From February to July of 2009, there were eleven lead-related recalls, all products geared for a child's use. This included everything from shoes to educational kits. As a parent, how can you protect your child from lead poisoning, if the toxic metal can come in something as innocent as dinosaur play sets? Although special portable detectors can be used to find lead paint, they are not readily available to the public to test everything that crosses your child's path.
The primary place where lead contamination has lately been found is in the paint of children's toys.
As an ingredient in paint, lead promotes rapid drying along with increased durability and resistance to corrosion. With all of these benefits, it is easy to see why some companies do not hesitate to put lead into their products.
Sadly, although lead is poisonous to all ages of people, it is most harmful in children, especially under the age of six. One of the most common ways that children get lead poisoning is from degrading lead paint. As the paint gets old, it comes off in microscopic dust particles and sometimes larger flakes. When kids play with the toys, they can get the lead-infused dust or flakes on their hands, and then accidentally ingest the poisonous substance when they eat or stick their fingers in their mouths.
A frightening estimation says that 310,000 kids between the ages of 1-5 ingest unsafe amounts of lead each year. Although there are a number of signs and symptoms of lead poisoning, they often do not appear before a child is two years old. Therefore, it can be a good idea to get your child periodically tested for lead poisoning, as it can protect them from brain and developmental damage, among other things.
Lead can build up and harm pretty much any part of the body. It hinders calcium absorption in bones, which leads to problems with growth and muscle coordination. Also, as blood carries the toxin throughout the body, it has a decreased ability to carry around oxygen. Other symptoms include malfunctioning kidneys, nervous system problems, headaches, abdominal pain, behavioral problems, and hearing impairment.
When purchasing toys for your kids, it is completely reasonable to expect safe, lead-free products. However, if your children have suffered from lead poisoning due to lead contamination in their toys, you should seek legal counsel to understand more about product liability laws. For more information on product liability, check out Austin lawyer Vic Feazell today.
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