Evie's Desk: Lead Poisoning and Toxic Scares

Lead poisoning from toys has been a huge scare for buyers, but there are organizations keeping tabs on this health threat. The Ecology Center, a Michigan-based nonprofit recently released the Third Annual Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys, available at HealthyStuff.org. Researchers at the Center tested nearly 700 popular 2009 children's products for lead, cadmium, arsenic, PVC and other harmful chemicals in time to help consumers make better choices for their families this holiday shopping season.

At HealthyStuff.org, holiday shoppers can search for toys by product name, UPC code, product type, manufacturer, or retailer to easily find products that have no, low, medium, or high levels of toxic chemicals. Click here to visit the consumer guide.

Also, Safe Kids USA has sent out some important reminders on how to shop safe in the holidays. Below are five helpful tips:

• Before shopping for toys, consider the child's age, interest and skill level. A fun, but inappropriate toy for a particular child can be dangerous.
• Keep toys with small parts away from children under age 3. They can choke on small toys and toy parts.
• Shopping at a second hand shop this holiday season? Check recalls.gov to make sure kids' products and toys are safe and haven't been recalled.
• Bikes or scooters make great holiday gifts. But remember that a helmet is a necessity, not an accessory when it comes to wheeled sports.
• Consider alternatives to putting children in shopping carts including strollers and carts that have plastic mini-cars or trucks attached to the front or back. If you must use a cart, make sure your child stays seated and is secured by a seat belt.

Evelyn V. Martinez

Executive Director
First 5 LA

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