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'Get Your Child Tested'
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Published: December 9, 2007
The American hoopla over lead in children's toys and jewelry may be new, but the fight against childhood lead poisoning isn't.
Health professionals knew more than 30 years ago about lead's toxic and potentially fatal effect on children younger than 6. That's why the U.S. government banned its presence in products such as house paint and toys.
Still, since 2001, an estimated 310,000 American children younger than 6 have been diagnosed with lead poisoning. Their undeveloped brains and nervous systems quickly absorb lead, and they risk facing major neurological, developmental and behavioral problems.
Cynthia Keeton, lead poison prevention specialist for the Hillsborough County Health Department, said lead is particularly insidious because its symptoms resemble less serious illnesses. Most parents want to test toys for lead content, but Keeton reminds them not to overlook their children's health.
"What's important is to get your child tested — to know their lead levels," she said.
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