Parenting

Walmart Responds to Rumors That There's Lead in These Popular Kids' Shoes

ParentingPublished Jul 25, 2017
By Ashley Austrew
jelly sandals lead

According to Webb, her doctor told her that kids can have elevated levels of lead in their blood if a nurse uses rubbing alcohol to sanitize a child's skin prior to a shot and doesn't let it dry all the way. But, she adds, "He looked up the Walmart jelly shoe thing online and told me if it was HIS kid he would probably still toss the shoes."

So, what's going on? Are these adorable, retro shoes really just toxic ticking time bombs in disguise?

In a statement to Cafemom, a Walmart spokeswoman tells us they're aware of the viral claims, but they feel parents truly have nothing to worry about. "Walmart takes product safety seriously," the statement reads. "All products in question were tested before being placed on our shelves, and we initiated over 200 additional tests in the past month to further confirm the safety of the shoes. All tests once again have shown these shoes are safe and meet applicable standards."

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More importantly, Dr. Mary Pat Forkin, a family doctor at Westfield Premier Physicians in Westfield, Indiana, tells CafeMom it's highly unlikely that a pair of shoes could have any measurable impact on the amount of lead in a child's system. 

"Lead has to be ingested in order for exposure to occur, as opposed to going through your skin," she explains. "Lead can be in paint, dust, water, food; however, I've never heard of lead coming through your skin that would give you lead poisoning ... If the daughter's lead level was high, it might be from something she ingested or breathed in."

Obviously, it's always better to be safe than sorry -- especially when you're dealing with something as dangerous as lead. The toxic metal has been linked to speech delays, memory loss, inability to concentrate, and the loss of fine motor skills. And it's been found in everything from sippy cups to baby food. But, at least when it comes to your kid's jelly sandals, the evidence seems to suggest that we can all breathe a little bit easier.

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