Metal objects pose threat to children

A child’s recent death from lead poisoning has prompted a recall and warnings about children’s jewelry. Most lead exposure comes from paint, but small objects containing lead can cause serious illness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on the case of a preschool-age Minnesota child who died from lead-induced brain swelling after swallowing a piece of metallic jewelry containing high levels of lead. The Minnesota Department of Health and local health officials were instrumental in investigating the child’s death and assisting federal officials in their investigation.
The item was a heart-shaped charm on a bracelet that came as a promotional item with a pair of Reebok athletic shoes. Laboratory analysis of the child’s charm indicated it contained 99 percent lead. A look-alike charm from the same brand of shoes was purchased by local health officials; that charm contained 68 percent lead, according to the same laboratory test.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) safety threshold for lead content in jewelry is 0.06% (600 ppm).

Parents and caregivers of children should not allow them to put any metal object in or on their mouths. “It is critical to proactively work to prevent exposure of children to these potentially hazardous products,”