Fidget spinners are the new fad nowadays. They are everywhere, with children and even some adults spinning them for the mere fun. Beside the regular spinning, some even try out new tricks, such as balancing them on the fingers, nose, or forehead.
However, with everything mass produced comes the risk of it falling below safety standards and this doesn’t leave fidget spinners out. In fact, authorities now warn that fidget spinners can pose an enormous threat on the health of children.
Note that this is not a fun fact, but a serious matter to take into consideration when allowing your children to play with these toys, especially if they come from unsupervised sources.
Independent advocate Tamara Rubin has tested a variety of fidget spinners and has found that some of them contained an alarming amount of toxic chemicals that can lead to serious health issues.
What she discovered was that some of the fidget spinners contained mercury and lead which were far beyond the safety threshold for children’s toys. The safety threshold for lead toys is considered by scientists to be 90 parts per million (ppm).
Her analyses showed that the fidget spinners contained a staggering amount of lead by up to 42.800 ppm and has recorded the presence of mercury in some by over 1.000 ppm.
You can read more about her in-depth analyses here (brass spinner) and here (LED light spinner).
While not all fidget spinners are lead-ridden, the main source of lead and mercury contaminated toys are countries where the quality regulations are not strict. Such example is China, and researchers say that toys produced there may contain dangerous amounts of lead.
While you cannot possibly tell how much lead a toy contains, as an XRF instrument can cost around $50.000, Rubin recommends making your own fidget spinner as an alternative.
In case you decide to buy a fidget spinner, the price won’t tell you much – in fact, Rubin found that the most contaminated toy she tested costed $31. What you should be looking at is the country of origin.
Lead poisoning can be fatal
According to MayoClinic, lead poisoning can severely affect both the physical and mental development of children, with children under 6 being the most vulnerable. At very high levels, lead can even be fatal.
Initially, this kind of poisoning can be hard to detect, and the signs and symptoms don’t appear until the body has accumulated dangerous amounts of lead.
Here is a list of symptoms of lead poisoning in children:
If you suspect that your child may be experiencing lead poisoning, it is best advised that you consult their doctor and take appropriate measures. However, prevention is the best option.
Protect your children from these dangers and throw away all fidget spinners to be on the safe side. Explain to them why you need to do this and tell them how dangerous it can be for them if you don’t.
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A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.