Lead Paint Spurs More Toy Recalls

By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Sept. 5, 2007 -- The toy company Mattel is recalling nearly 800,000 more Mattel and Fisher-Price toys due to lead paint.

Here is the latest list of recalled Mattel and Fisher-Price toys, along with links to photos and details of the recalled toys on the web site of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

• Various Barbie accessory toys. Mattel is recalling about 675,000 Barbie accessory toys due to excessive lead paint. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• 聽Geo Trax Locomotive toys. Fisher-Price is recalling about 90,000 of these toy trains due to excessive lead paint. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band toys. Fisher-Price is recalling about 8,900 of these toys due to excessive lead paint. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.

No injuries have been reported with any of these most recent toy recalls. However, the CPSC advises parents and other caregivers to immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Mattel or Fisher-Price for a free replacement toy.

Lead poisoning can permanently harm children, but it typically doesn't happen overnight.

Toy recalls due to lead paint have frequently been in the headlines since the beginning of August.

The toys in the latest recall were made in China. Mattel has beefed up testing and inspections of its toy-production process. But the toy company can't promise that there won't be more recalls.

"We hope that we don't have to recall any more products, but if we do, we will address the matter promptly and inform you quickly," Mattel pledges on its web site.

Lost track of earlier toy recalls? Here's a quick overview of toy recalls issued since the beginning of August.

Most -- but not all -- of the recalls are due to lead. Other toys on the list are being recalled due to choking hazards or because small magnets in the toys can come loose.

"Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforation (tears) or blockage, which can be fatal," states the CPSC's web site.

• Imaginarium Wooden Coloring Cases. Due to lead paint, Toys "R" Us recalled about 27,000 of these cases, which contain kids' art supplies, including crayons, pastels, colored pencils, and paints. Click here for details and photos on the CPSC's web site.
• Robbie Ducky Kids Watering Cans. Due to lead paint, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores have recalled about 6,000 of these children's watering cans. Click here for details and photos on the CPSC's web site
• Priddy "Trucks"聽Shaker Teething Books.聽St. Martin's Press has recalled about 35,000 of these books because small pieces of the teether can break off, posing a choking hazard to young children. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• SpongeBob SquarePants Character Address Books and Journals. Due to lead paint, Martin Designs Inc. has recalled about 250,000 of these books and journals. Click here for details and photos on the CPSC's web site.
• Thomas and Friends, Curious George, and other spinning tops and tin pails: Due to lead paint, Schylling Associates has recalled about 66,000 spinning tops and about 4,700 pails. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• Children's Divine Inspiration Charm Bracelets. Buy-Rite Designs has recalled about 7,900 of these charm bracelets due to high lead levels. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• Children's metal jewelry from TOBY N.Y.C. This recall includes three jewelry sets for children due to high levels of lead. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• Magnetic Toy Train Sets. Due to lead paint, Hampton Direct has recalled about 27,000 of these toy train sets. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• Polly Pocket play sets. Due to small magnets that can come loose in these play sets, Mattel has widened its recall of these products to include more than 7 million Polly Pocket dolls and accessories with magnets. Click here for details and photos on the CPSC's web site
• Doggie Day Care play sets. Due to small magnets that can come loose from these play sets, Mattel has recalled about a million Doggie Day Care play sets. Click here for details and photos on the CPSC's web site.
• Barbie and Tanner play sets. Due to small magnets that can come loose from these play sets, Mattel has recalled about 683,000 Barbie and Tanner play sets. Click here for details and photos on the CPSC's web site.
• "Sarge" die-cast toy cars. Due to lead paint, Mattel has recalled about 253,000 of its "Sarge" die-cast toy cars. Click here for details and photos on the CPSC's web site.
• Batman and One Piece magnetic action figure sets. Due to small magnets that can come loose from these toys, Mattel has recalled about 345,000 of its Batman and One Piece magnetic action figure sets. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• Stuffed Plush Horse/Pillows and Fairy Dolls. The Orvis Company has recalled about 220 of the horse-shaped pillows, which were sold as an accessory with a horse-themed sleeping bag, and about 1,300 of the fairy dolls, which were sold as an accessory with a unicorn-themed sleeping bag.The stuffed horses' plastic button eyes and the fairy doll's pompom nose can easily come lose, posing a choking hazard to young kids. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.
• Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, and certain other Fisher-Price toys. Due to lead paint, Fisher-Price has recalled about 967,000 of certain licensed character toys. Click here for photos and details on the CPSC's web site.

(As you sort through your child's toy box, are you thinking of asking your pediatrician for a lead poisoning test? Some folks on WebMD's Parenting: 9-12 Months message board are聽doing just that.聽聽Read their comments and share yours.)

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