That sparkly bracelet or necklace set you bought your child on Amazon could be poisoning them. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued multiple warnings and recalls in recent years against children’s jewelry products containing illegal levels of lead and cadmium — toxic heavy metals that can cause serious and irreversible health damage in young children. These products, often sold at extremely low prices through online marketplaces, look identical to safe jewelry but contain metals that are banned in children’s products under federal law.
Why Lead and Cadmium Are So Dangerous
Lead and cadmium are toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects even at low levels of exposure. Young children ages 2 through 6 have significant mouthing behaviors — they frequently put jewelry and small objects in their mouths — which creates a direct route for these metals to enter the body. Lead exposure in children can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech issues. Cadmium exposure can cause kidney damage and has been linked to serious long-term health consequences.
Accessible components of children’s products manufactured in or imported into the United States must not contain more than 100 parts per million (ppm) of total lead content under federal law. Cadmium is also prohibited at elevated levels in children’s products under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.
What Products Are Being Recalled
CPSC has issued recent recalls and warnings against multiple children’s jewelry products sold on Amazon, including:
- Yaomiao-branded children’s jewelry sets, sold in lavender gift boxes containing unicorn, butterfly, heart, turtle, star, and rainbow-shaped pieces — recalled for exceeding the federal lead content ban and prohibited cadmium levels
- Newmemo children’s ring sets sold in a pink heart-shaped display case — recalled for containing levels of lead and cadmium that violate federal law
- Monica Vinader 14k yellow gold mini heart chain bracelets, necklaces, and stud earrings — recalled for excess cadmium levels
What You Should Do
- Immediately stop using any recalled children’s jewelry and take it away from children.
- Be especially cautious with low-cost children’s jewelry purchased from online marketplaces, kiosks, or novelty stores.
- Check SaferProducts.gov regularly for the latest jewelry recalls.
- If a child has been in contact with recalled jewelry, consult a physician about testing for lead or cadmium exposure.
- Report dangerous children’s products at SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
Source: https://www.cpsc.gov/recall-hazards/cadmium-poisoning
