This holiday season the Cayuga County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is encouraging parents to take extra time when purchasing toys for children. Parents need to know that toys not made in the United States of America or which have been passed down through generations can put children at risk for lead exposure.
Lead can be found in the paint of toys. Lead paint was banned in the United States in 1978, however most of our children's toys are not manufactured here in the states and lead is still found in imported toys. Lead can also be found in toys that are made of plastic. The use of lead in plastics has not yet been banned in the United States.
Lead is not absorbed through the skin, it is usually ingested. Children's exposure to lead can happen through normal hand-to-mouth activity. Small children are always putting their toys and fingers in their mouths and parents may not realize that their children could be ingesting lead.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has a listing of recalled toys. Anyone interested in viewing the list of recalled toys can visit www.cpsc.gov or call (800) 638-2772. Recalled toys would not be on the shelves this holiday season, but your child may already have the toy. Checking to be sure is a good idea. If you discover that your child has a recalled toy take it away from them immediately.
Children who are exposed to lead and who have not been tested are put at great risk. Lead poisoning can have serious health consequences. If you are worried that your child has been exposed to lead you can ask you doctor or call the health department to get you child tested. A lead test is the only way to assess lead levels in your child. In New York state lead test are required for children ages 1 and 2, but many children do not get these tests.
For more information, visit the Cayuga County Department of Health Web site; http://co.cayuga.ny.us/hhs/doh/index.htm or call the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program coordinator at 253-1560.
Elane Daly is director of Health and Human Services for Cayuga County. She can be reached at 253-1560 or cchealth@dfa.state.ny.us
Lead is not absorbed through the skin, it is usually ingested. Children's exposure to lead can happen through normal hand-to-mouth activity. Small children are always putting their toys and fingers in their mouths and parents may not realize that their children could be ingesting lead.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has a listing of recalled toys. Anyone interested in viewing the list of recalled toys can visit www.cpsc.gov or call (800) 638-2772. Recalled toys would not be on the shelves this holiday season, but your child may already have the toy. Checking to be sure is a good idea. If you discover that your child has a recalled toy take it away from them immediately.
Children who are exposed to lead and who have not been tested are put at great risk. Lead poisoning can have serious health consequences. If you are worried that your child has been exposed to lead you can ask you doctor or call the health department to get you child tested. A lead test is the only way to assess lead levels in your child. In New York state lead test are required for children ages 1 and 2, but many children do not get these tests.
For more information, visit the Cayuga County Department of Health Web site; http://co.cayuga.ny.us/hhs/doh/index.htm or call the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program coordinator at 253-1560.
Elane Daly is director of Health and Human Services for Cayuga County. She can be reached at 253-1560 or cchealth@dfa.state.ny.us
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