August 14, 2007, Mattel, the world’s largest toy manufacturer, recalled millions of toys made in China. The toys are painted with lead paint and or contain small magnets that could harm children if swallowed. The toy recall also involves products manufactured by Fisher-Price whose parent company is Mattel. This recall is the largest in Mattel’s history.
Lead is highly toxic to small children if ingested, even in minute quantities. Lead poisoning can hinder brain development and may cause behavior problems and learning disabilities.
There have been three reports of serious injury involving children who have swallowed more than one magnet. The magnets used in these products are rare-earth magnets that can be 20 times more powerful than the average refrigerator magnet. If swallowed more than one at a time, children can suffer intestinal perforations because the magnets stick together through human tissue.
The recalled toys include Dora the Explorer, Big Bird, Elmo, Polly Pockets and numerous dye cast cars. Some cars feature characters from the popular children’s movie, “Cars.” Please CLICK HERE for a list of recalled toys.
The recall includes 9.5 million toys in the United States and 11 million toys in foreign countries. It is the largest recall in recent months, involving Chinese products with high levels of chemicals and toxins.
If your child has been seriously injured in a toy-related accident, you may want to contact a dangerous toy attorney for an evaluation of your case. Give us a call at 800-992-6878, or please CLICK HERE for a free case evaluation.