by Tiffany Capuano

With Christmas around the corner, should all the media hype over government and manufacturer recalls of lead-tainted toys worry you? To a certain extent...yes, but lead poisoning in general is rare. And lead poisoning from toys is even more rare. But, it is something you, as parents, need and want to know about.

“My son’s favorite color is green, and it seems that all the lead recalls are red and green paints. How will I know if I’m buying something safe?” asks Addie Outlaw, a Dallas mom of two boys, ages 3 and 5. “I want to make sure [my kids] are in the safest environment possible.”

Lead poisoning in the Atlanta region is fairly uncommon, says Dr. Robert Geller, professor of pediatrics at Emory University and medical director for Georgia’s Poison Control Center.

“There’s no such thing as good lead,” Geller says. “Lead doesn’t jump out at you. It is not absorbed through the skin, but lead [particles] can be swallowed and, if in a powder form, inhaled.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 310,000 U.S. children ages 1 to 5 have high levels of the toxin in their blood. However, the CDC says toys are not the biggest cause of lead poisoning in children; it’s lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in older homes and buildings.

Toys with lead paint can be handled, says Geller, but should not be chewed or sanded to replace the paint. Sanding can turn the lead particles into a fine dust that can be inhaled.

The CDC urges parents who are worried about lead exposure to get their children tested. Ask your child’s pediatrician for a blood test that screens for lead.

Lead poisoning may show little or no symptoms, Geller says. However, lead poisoning can have adverse effects on IQ and could alter an individual’s learning abilities. The body slowly eliminates lead by itself, but the process might take months or years, according to Geller. Some drugs may be used for those with high levels of lead, but they often have side effects. “Lead poisoning can be fatal,” explains Geller. “If a child swallows lead fishing sinkers, it can cause big problems and significant damage.”

In Georgia, if a child is found to have high lead levels (over 15), the Public Health Department comes to inspect the home to help figure out the source of the contamination. Their high-tech equipment measures lead throughout the home without damaging the home or its contents, Geller says.

Outlaw, who has been diligent about removing toys and items from her home that have been recalled, says she plans to have her children tested for lead exposure just to be safe.

Parents should be on the lookout for toys in their homes that contain lead paint. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website offers the latest information on recalls from all the various toy manufacturers and distributors, giving specific details on how and where to return the item.