Risks to children in lead exposure: some basics

Hand-me-down cribs and garage-sale toys made before the 1978 ban on lead paint have long raised concern among parents. The recent recall of toys by El Segundo-based Mattel Inc., the nation’s largest toy maker, poses new questions. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials offer some answers.

Why are children so vulnerable to lead poisoning?

Because young children are growing so rapidly, they become virtual sponges for lead, absorbing 50% of the lead they ingest, compared with 10% absorption for adults. A further risk is that the blood-brain barrier, which protects adult brains from many toxic substances, isn’t fully developed in children, making it easier for lead to affect the brain and the central nervous system.

Exposure to large amounts of lead can cause mental retardation, and even coma and death. Smaller exposures are also of concern. “The problems can be subtle,” said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, Los Angeles County’s director of public health and a professor of health services and pediatrics at UCLA. “The concern that we increasingly have is that relatively low levels of lead exposure can lead to reductions in IQ and in learning disabilities and behavioral problems.”

How are children exposed to lead?

About 70% of cases of lead poisoning in the county are caused by paint. Lead paint has been outlawed for nearly 30 years but may be underneath newer paint in older homes. If the paint flakes and chips, it could end up as dust on floors where children play. Or the dust from remodeling can contain lead. A parent who works in construction or who makes ceramics can bring lead home on clothing.

How much risk might there be in the toys that were recalled?

“Picture how children play with toys,” said Dr. Cyrus Rangan, director of the toxics epidemiology program at the county health department. They put them in their mouths, he said. Their hands get sweaty, and sweaty palms can leach lead from the paint onto their hands, which they then put in their mouths. “We don’t know how much lead is in the paint in the toys,” he said. “But the point is to minimize exposure wherever you can. At this point, I would highly doubt that children playing with Mattel toys are lead poisoned.”

How can I tell if the toys in my home have lead in the paint?

Two testing products, LeadCheck Swabs and Lead Inspector, can be purchased in many hardware stores, said Deborah Reff, manager of the health education unit of the childhood lead poisoning program at the county health department. A chemical in the kits changes color when exposed to lead. They can be used on dishes, pottery, toys and jewelry. The kits indicate the presence of lead but not the amount. The best way to test for lead, according to county health officials, is to send samples to a laboratory approved by the California Department of Health Services. For more information, call (800) 597-5323.

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susan.brink@latimes.com