Watch out for toxic toys! They could cause serious harm to your children Sudhakar Pai from Mangalore had severe abdominal pain at the age of seven. Tests revealed he was anaemic. The doctor prescribed medicines for intestinal worms and anaemia. But the pain persisted. After about four months, he was referred to St John's Medical College andHospital,Bangalore,for lead tests. Sudhakar had excess lead deposits in his body. "The paints flaking off the slides and swings in the playground he frequented were the culprits," says Dr Anita Bijoor, biochemistry professor at St John's. Paints on most playground equipment and toys contain lead, which can easily enter a child's body. All it takes is hand-to-mouth contact, which is common among children, from snacking to thumb sucking. Lead, when absorbed by the body, causes anaemia, low IQ, retarded mental growth, kidney malfunction and high blood pressure. It also harms the nervous and the reproductive systems. In 2007, lead content in toys created a furore. Toy companies such as Mattel and Fisher Price recalled many Barbie sets, Thomas & Friends wooden railway vehicle, Winnie-the-Pooh sets, Elmo, Diego and Dora, owing to lead content higher than the permissible limits. However, little has changed in India as far as the toy market is concerned. THE WEEK randomly picked toys