News Updates
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August 8, 2007
New notice of recall of Fisher-Price toys containing lead paint (http://origin.www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/08/01/recall-toys.html ). For further discussion of lead-paint in toys, see also the review of the Thomas the Tank Engine recall below.
July 10, 2007
Dear BC Autism Assessment Network partners,
As you may have heard, there has been a voluntary recall of some of the Thomas the Tank Engine (TTTE) products, due to the presence of lead paint. The recall applies to TTTE products made between January 2005 and June 2007. These items should be removed from the child's environment, both in the family home and elsewhere (e.g. homes of other family/friends; daycares; therapists; etc). For details of the Thomas products affected, please see http://recalls.rc2.com/recalls_Wood_0607.html.
Just a reminder that the children seen via BCAAN often display atypical sensory interests, including licking/mouthing non-organic materials. For any child with those types of behaviours or pica (regardless of whether they have autism), a blood lead level and CBC/differential is recommended, as they are at increased risk for environmental toxin exposures such as lead (see http://www.neurology.org/cgi/reprint/60/3/367; p373).
In the absence of mouthing/licking behaviours or pica, the general risk is going to be lower. In these situations, the best advice would be for the family to talk to their community physician about the individual circumstances surrounding the possible exposure risk, to determine if lead level testing is warranted for that particular child. Usually toxic lead levels are found as a result of chronic environmental exposures (e.g. living in a town with a smelting factory; living in an old heritage house with lead paint; regular drinking/eating from earthenware made in other counties outside of North America, where lead is sometimes used in the glazes) or acute toxic exposures (usually industrial).
Again, the number one intervention that will be helpful is removing the source of exposure from the environment (i.e. getting rid of the affected products).
Stephen Wellington, MD, PhD, FRCP(C)
Developmental Paediatrician
BC Autism Assessment Network Co-Director
Clinical Assistant Professor
Division of Developmental Paediatrics, UBC
3644 Slocan Street
Vancouver BC, V5M 3E8
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