It's tragic that so many companies peddle toys and other baby products without revealing their hazards. Of course, many other hazards exist these days - phthalates, Bisphenol A, pesticides, food colorings, etc. Ultimately, however, the onus is on us to protect our children. Given that, the solution for parents becomes simple.

In this age of conspicuous consumption, many parents may feel obligated to provide their children with the latest "gadget", without regard to its origin. We're all guilty of this to some degree. However, there are many pure and simple alternatives available to parents today, which may not have existed before, that are easier to trace to their natural source. Children don't need fancy toys for playing, learning, and growing. Indeed, the backlash to the excesses of the toy industry may be a good thing.

There's a partial listing of natural and organic baby products (made without pesticides, additives, petroleum, or other questionable chemicals) at http://www.organic-nature-news.com/organic-baby-products.html.

Every parents wants the best for their children. I was no different when I searched for healthy alternatives for my children 20 years ago. Today, many companies are making that choice easier.

What makes this problem worse is that lead salts such as those used as pigments have a sweet taste. Toddlers will put anything into their mouths, true, but once they taste the lead they will seek more of the sweetness. The ancient Romans stored their wine in lead vessels for this very reason: it made the wine sweeter. They dosed themselves into oblivion. Lead paint is not just a passive hazard; it is a magnet for the children who will be most harmed by it.

When my daughter was 2, she had a routine lead test - and we never heard anything about it and assumed all was well. At her 3 year check up, they indicated her levels were high at 2, so we needed a follow-up check. Surprise, her levels had risen to 9.8 - and apparently over 10 is bad. In fact, we soon started getting calls from the health department and had to have her tested every 3 months. We also tested our home and found lead in our paint - especially on the porch. I did lots of research and wrote indignant letters to everyone at every level involved indicating that I thought that given the seriousness of the situation - prevention should be our goal. Imagine what a simple phone call that her 2 year levels were kind of high could have done - we would have found the source and made the necessary changes and prevented it from going up. Seems like a no brainer - but they don't worry about it until it is 10. As a paretn, I want to keep it from getting to 10, thanks.

So, my advice:

1. Call and ask for all test results. Ask for specific numbers and interpretation of said numbers. Never assume that no news is good news.

2. Test your home environment and toys, especially if you live in an older home.

3. Know that if your child's levels are high - there are some natural things you can do with your childs diet to help the body get rid of some, though never all, of the lead. Food high in iron can help prevent absorption and a Low Fat diet is essential as high fat foods promote lead absorption.

http://www.co.allen.in.us/images/stories/pdf/Foodsthatfightleadpoisoning.pdf

4. Don't give your baby and toddler real keys to play with as many keys have lead in them.

http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite/_static/resources/760.pdf

5. Remember that ultimately, it is the parent's responsibility to provide a safe environment for a child - just because a toy is marketed as appropriate and safe, it does not mean that it truly is.

A concerned mom

That seems to be the anthem of the likes of Mattel, WalMart, and on ,and on without an end. Toys are being produced for less, the prices remain the same, who is making the money? To hell with the people who buy them, to hell with the children who play with them and, as shown in the picture, have mouth contact with them or worse chew on them while teething.Who cares, as long as we make our billions which we dont really need but put us on the list of scroungers. And all the while there are jobless Americans who barely survive. Make no mistake, toys are not the only garbage that comes in, remember the dogfood recalls? And how many other products that we dont knew about come in polluted. The people who produce this stuff are just as endangered. Their employers have to cut corners to suit the sales giants who buy from them. What a lousy system.

Can parents get the lead out for good.

And the answer is HELL NO they can't. Not as long as they keep voting for the Corporatocracy Rules Republican Party.Their agenda of endless Greed for money and political power is what rules America.

And the Repub party is enabled by the two big right wing religions, fundamentalist Catholicism, my religion but without me, and evangelical fundamentalism.

Being slow is not such a big deal. It's practically a job requirement for the jobs that are left in the USA. Without lead how are we going to have Wal*Mart greeters and people to man the KwikyMart?

This flash animation is priceless -- and the issue looks serious.

http://KillerCouch.org

>How about not getting suckered in, all you 'security moms' who voted for President Sociopath in 2004?....Try taking a look at conservatives' position on regulation and trade.<

*snort* Please. The reason such women have turned motherhood into an insane, never-ending competition is because they've given up on having any influence in the outside world. (Or they never, ever thought that neo-libertarian lassez-faire crap the Bushies extol would ever have an effect on their families.) So much safer to cocoon with hubby out in McMansion land and put your energies into making your own world instead of working to improve this one.