Testing for lead in toys at day care centers.

Objective: Exposure to lead-based paint or material has been found to impact children's cognitive and behavioral development at blood lead levels far below current standards. The purpose of the project was to screen for lead in toy items in daycare centers in order to raise awareness of inside environmental lead exposures and minimize lead-based exposures for children.

Methods: Occupational therapy students in a service learning class tested for lead in ten daycare or public centers using the XRF Thermo Scientific Niton XL3t, a method accepted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

[Assessment of behavior in non-psychiatric settings: use of a simple and reliable method].

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are the most common complication in hospitalized older people with dementia. This article describes the development of a French version of a simple and reliable scale that is easy to use in somatic settings to foster clear and objective communication around this symptomatology.