Wal-Mart and Claire’s have pulled Chinese-made children’s jewelry suspected to have been made with cadmium.

The decision to two of American’s largest retailers of costume jewelry comes on the heels of an investigation by the Associated Press which found some products contained dangerous levels of the toxic metal.

Lab tests conducted for the AP on 103 pieces of low-priced children’s jewelry on sale in the U.S. found 12 items with elevated levels of cadmium, which can hinder brain development in young children, according to recent research, and is known to cause cancer.

Twelve items had cadmium levels of at least 10 percent by weight. One piece had 91 percent, and others contained more than 80%. The government has no restrictions on cadmium in jewelry.

The findings of cadmium contamination come on the heels of a string of product quality scandals in 2007 that caused Congress in 2008 to ban toys and other kids products that contain lead — another dangerous and once commonly used material. Cadmium is even more harmful.

A former employee of New Jersey Cerebral Palsy is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the clinic. New Jersey Cerebral Palsy is a non-profit organization that provides all kinds of services to sufferers of cerebral palsy and their families.
 
Shaakerah Kelly was arrested in her home earlier this year. Though she was fired in January 2008 (for unrelated reasons), the theft was not discovered until an audit in June of that same year. According to authorities, Kelly deposited approximately $320,000 in donation checks into her personal bank account over a span of three years. She also spent $3,700 on a company credit card on luxury items for herself.  If convicted, Kelly could spend up to 10 years in prison.
 
How could someone steal from an organization like New Jersey Cerebral Palsy? If Kelly is indeed guilty, it was not just money that was stolen. She also took the goodwill of kind donors who cared enough about the well being of cerebral palsy victims to give from their own paychecks, even in a time of economic downturn. It is not just NJCP that suffers from her theft — it is every family that goes to them to seek help.

I came across an article on that was both surprising and appalling.

According to the article, more than 10,000 infants or pre-school aged children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year. Of these, approximately 20 percent were due to medical negligence or malpractice. That means that with better care from hospitals, doctors and staff, 2,000 children who are now afflicted with cerebral palsy and diagnosed this year, could be living normal, healthy lives.
 
The article lists the following symptoms of cerebral palsy:
– Muscle tightness and spasticity
– Involuntary movements
– Gait disturbances
– Difficulty swallowing
– Impairment of sight, hearing or speech
– Seizures
– Breathing problems
– Bladder and bowel control problems
– Skin disorders
– Learning disabilities
 
It is heartbreaking to think that thousands of parents must watch their children suffer through this handicap knowing that it could have been prevented. Legal action can help lessen the financial burden, but it cannot make up for the damage done by negligent medical staff.
 
Other causes of cerebral palsy include injury to the child’s head and drug or alcohol use by or physical abuse of the pregnant mother.

If you have been affected by cerebral palsy, visit www.cerebralpalsy.org <http://www.cerebralpalsy.org> to find a support group near you, as well as more information on how to fight back.