While many of their mothers and older sisters are taking their fashion cues from TV, the movies and the red carpet, young girls want to dress just like their mommies.

 

In the world of jewelry, it is never too early to start building up a collection of pieces. However, while mommy wears diamonds and precious metals, children’s jewelry is often made of cheap, synthetic materials, and produced in countries where health takes a back seat to profit.

 

According to a recent investigation by the Associated Press (AP), Chinese manufacturers had been substituting cadmium for lead in cheap charm bracelets and pendants sold across the U.S. – and probably all over the rest of the world.

 

The dangers of lead are well known. It is toxic to many organs and tissues including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems. It interferes with the development of the nervous system and is therefore particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behavior disorders. It is not something you want near your kids. Getting around the ban on lead, the manufacturers had – whether intentionally or inadvertently – turned to a material that is, if anything, believed to be even more toxic that lead.

 

The dangers of lead in children’s jewelry can be seen in a story on the blog of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The post tells the story of an incident that occurred in March 2006 when Jarnell Brown, a four-year-old boy from Minneapolis, Minnesota, swallowed a metal charm that was nearly pure lead. Brown died four days later. According to the blog, “Since 2004, our agency has conducted more than 50 recalls of more than 180 million units of metal jewelry because it contained a hazardous amount of lead.”

 

A law imposing limits on the amount of lead allowable in children’s products, prompted manufacturers to find other substitutes. The legislation was the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, which the U.S. Congress passed in the wake of a number of children's products recalls due to their high lead levels. The law applied to all products, not just jewelry, made specifically for children aged 12 and under.

 

The law, which came into effect in August 2009 halved the amount of lead allowed, dropping it from 600 parts per million (ppm) to 300 ppm.

 

Cadmium, an element that occurs naturally in soil, was chosen as an alternative. However, it is a known carcinogen and like lead, it can cause developmental problems in the very young. According to the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOHS), the lungs may be affected by repeated or prolonged exposure to dust particles. The substance may have effects on the kidneys, resulting in kidney impairment. In short, it is not something you want to mess around with, and it is definitely not something you want to let your children near, especially since the danger of ill health is increased by ingesting the metal, which puts young, orally fixated children who bite or suck the coated objects at even greater risk.

 

According to its report, the AP conducted lab testing of 103 children's jewelry items bought in New York, Ohio, Texas and California purchased in November or December 2009. Worryingly, the tests found that 12 percent of the jewelry items contained at least 10 percent cadmium.

 

One piece analyzed in the investigation was found to contain up to 91 percent cadmium. Other contaminated small jewelry items tested at 89 percent, 86 percent and 84 percent.

 

Among the poisoned jewels were bracelet charms sold at Wal-Mart, items at jewelry chain Claire's and other pieces found at a dollar store. High amounts of cadmium also were detected in The Princess and The Frog movie-themed pendants. Hardly a Disney ending.

 

Wal-Mart publically responded by pulling by the children’s jewelry items cited in the AP report off its shelves and U.S. product safety authorities stated they were set to "take action as quickly as possible to protect the safety of children.”

 

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) spokesperson Scott Wolfson told the AP that the agency would study the test results, attempt to buy the contaminated products and "take appropriate action."

 

In light of the cadmium development, CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum wrote on the CPSC blog, “Because of these recent developments, I have a message for parents, grandparents and caregivers: Do not allow young children to be given or to play with cheap metal jewelry, especially when they are unsupervised.”

 

Following the release of the cadmium investigative report, Michael Gale, executive director of the Jewelry Trade Association (FJTA) hastened to reassure consumers about the safety of children’s jewelry. He said that FTJA’s more than 200 members not only comply with the new lead standards and with other new safety regulations contained in the CPSIA, but many have been voluntarily testing for other metals such as cadmium.

 

"Safety is always our number one concern,” said Gale. “Children’s jewelry made by our members meets federal lead limits, and test reports from our members to date indicate that children’s jewelry does not contain levels of cadmium that could cause health risks.”

 

Gale also announced the formation of a FJTA Safety Task Force to work with the CPSC, consumer and industry groups on jewelry safety issues, including developing a standard for all metals in children's jewelry, including cadmium and nickel."

 

While these developments are welcome, and while the AP report can only lead to increased standards, for some – such as Jarnell Brown – it is already a matter of too little too late.