The state attorney general's office is warning parents about three toys with lead levels it says are well above acceptable standards.
All three products are made by the company Cra-Z-Art. The toys with high levels of lead include the Shimmer N' Sparkle Cra-Z-Art Cra-Z-Jewelz Gem Creation Ultimate Gem Machine, the Shimmer N' Sparkle Cra-Z-Art Cra-Z-Jewelz Gem Creations Gem Charm and Slider Bracelets, and the My Look Cra-Z-Jewelz Gem Creations Ultimate Gem Machine.
New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says the lead level in some of the products is 10 times above the federal limit. They are currently being sold at the Toy R Us in Carle Place and the Target in Westbury.
While prolonged exposure to high levels of lead can lead to brain cancer or death, Dr. Alla Shenkman, of PM Pediatrics, says barring extenuating circumstances, children who were exposed to the products should be OK.
"Exposure to lead needs to be very long in order to cause symptoms," Shenkman says. "So it's very unlikely that if the child is just playing with the lead, not chewing on it, not eating it, that it's gonna cause any problems."
Parents are still taking precautions.
"It's something to look out for," says Frank Yip, a father of two in Merrick. "It's not something I want them to handle."
The attorney general is launching an investigation into how the products got on store shelves.