August 04, 2007
Saturday

(SitNews) - Alaska State health officials in the Department of Health of Social Services today issued a consumer health alert regarding toys being recalled by Fisher-Price. The toys are made by a Chinese vendor and include Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego toys. The toys are being recalled due to excessive amounts of lead in their paint.

"The main risk posed by these toys is the possibility that children might chew on them and swallow part of the toy, and thereby absorb unsafe amounts of lead into the bloodstream," said Dr. Joe McLaughlin, chief of epidemiology for Public Health. "We are currently unaware of any children in Alaska who have become ill or who have elevated lead concentrations because of these toys," Dr. McLaughlin said.

Young children, infants and developing fetuses are at greatest risk of lead poisoning because their bodies absorb more lead, and their brains and bodies are still developing. Prolonged exposure to lead in young children has been associated with lifelong learning disabilities and behavioral disorders. Parents are encouraged to consult with a health-care provider if they think their child has swallowed any portion of the toys.

Although most of the toys were never shipped to stores, 967,000 of the plastic preschool toys were distributed between May and August of this year. Families should return any of the toys to the store where they were purchased for proper disposal.

On the Web:

Additional information on the hazards of lead exposure can be obtained from the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/lead/

A list of the affected toys is available on the Fisher-Price/Mattel Web site at:
http://www.service.mattel.com/us/recall/39054_IVR.asp?prod=

Source of News:

Alaska Department of Health of Social Services
www.hss.state.ak.us

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