Toy recalls prompt a sharp rise in tests of children for lead exposure

In the two weeks since Mattel Inc. began recalling millions of its toys because of concerns over lead paint, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has seen a 25% increase in tests, said Dr. Robert Adler, vice chairman of the hospital's pediatrics departments.

The number of worried parents is likely to increase. Toys R Us announced Friday that it was pulling all vinyl baby bibs from store shelves after laboratory tests found lead that exceeded the retailer's standards in two bibs made in China by Hamco Inc.

It is too early to detect any pattern in test results, Adler said. But he and other experts said that aside from swallowing a toy or a scrap of vinyl bib, the biggest risk for lead lies in chipped paint or dust stirred up by remodeling in homes built before 1978, when the United States banned the metal in paint.

"One exposure is not going to do harm," Adler said. "But the concern is if they are getting lead from multiple sources. We do find a lot more kids than we suspected have been exposed to lead in the household, mostly through old paint."

In adults, elevated lead levels can cause such problems as high blood pressure, memory lapses and miscarriages. But lead's effect on children is of particular concern because of its profound effect on the developing brain, leading to reductions in IQ, attention deficit and behavioral problems.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening children for lead risks at age 1 and again at age 2, said Dr. Chris Tolcher, a spokesman for the group and a pediatrician in West Hills. Usually that means asking about the age of the house and whether renovation may have left a lead residue in carpeting, where youngsters crawl.

"Handling and mouthing a toy is probably not a high risk," said Tolcher, who stopped short of calling the increase in calls to his office a panic. "But the only way to reassure a parent completely is to check the blood level."

The test measures lead in a blood sample drawn from a finger, heel or vein. Any amount greater than 9 micrograms per deciliter is considered unsafe, according to guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.