Foreign-made jewelry Caused Lead Exposure

According to public health officials, foreign-made jewelry is a potential source of lead exposure. There was a case where a 1-year-old boy had a rapid increase in blood lead levels. According to researchers, the source of the exposure was traced to an amulet made from knotted string and metallic beads. The amulet was brought from Cambodia. Further test revealed that the beads on the amulet contained 45% lead. The father of the boy said that the amulet had been worn since he was 3 years old.

 Healthcare professionals should ask parents, especially who come from Southeast Asia, about the use of amulets. They have to know about the risk of leads poisoning from the jewelry. Regarding the case, the CDC recommends blood lead testing for internationally adopted children and refugee. All children who recently travelled to foreign countries will also be tested. About the 1-year-old boy, the health officials also tested his brother.

 The 1-year-old boy case shows that parents must be aware about anything they gave to children, especially foreign-made jewelry. It is better to make sure that anything given to children is safe and free from leads. All of us know that not all countries understand the importance of using health-friendly ingredients.