Amy Barrett didn't cringe when she heard that toy giant Mattel was recalling millions of toys made in China over concerns about potentially dangerous levels of lead.

"People come in and ask me, 'Is the toy recall affecting you?' " said the owner of Lasso the Moon on the Downtown Walking Mall. "And I say, 'Yes, in a good way, because people are now asking what they can buy that's safe for children.' "

Barrett said she's seen an increase in business -- and lots of questions about toy safety -- since the high-profile recall earlier this month of millions of toys from the popular movie "Cars," as well as kid favorites Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants.

The toys were pulled from shelves due to concerns about lead paint. Long-term exposure to lead can lead to brain damage and kidney failure, among other problems, and children are especially susceptible.

Barrett, who's owned her toy store for a dozen years, eschews products from Mattel and other major American toy sellers. Still, she said, it's hard to avoid products that are made in China.

"I do have things that are manufactured in Germany and other countries, and the companies I deal with are very careful about their regulations," Barrett said.

Many smaller companies are taking a proactive approach to the problem, hoping to avoid being caught up in the lead paint crisis by association.

Rokenbok, a California-based maker of toy construction equipment and building sets, sent a fax to its dealers (including Barrett) outlining its checks and balances for ensuring its toys are safe.

"People are coming in and asking for things that are safe for babies to put in their mouths," she said. "They're concerned about what they've bought before, and they want to replace it with something that's safe."

Gretchen Neal in the toy department at Montana Book & Toy Co. said she hasn't fielded many inquiries about the toy recalls, though some customers specifically ask for toys made somewhere other than China. The store also doesn't carry Mattel products and hasn't been affected, she said.

"A lot of the stuff we order is from U.S. companies, but they do have a lot of their components made in China, and it's hard to know what comes from where," she said.

Kay Robertson, a registered nurse with the Lewis and Clark City-County Health Department, said she's fielded a handful of inquiries about lead in toys, and expects more as parents learn more about the recall and what toys are involved.

For parents wondering what to do, Robertson said keeping hands clean is sound, basic advice.

"Little people are close to the ground and do a lot of hand-and-mouth, so keeping hands washed and out of mouths is a good disease prevention practice," she said. "The same thing goes for lead toys. Washing hands is a wonderful strategy for reducing a lot of problems."

Deb Tillo with the East Helena Lead Education and Abatement Program said she hasn't fielded any calls about lead paint in Mattel toys, but said she may get a few after including news of the toy recall in an upcoming newsletter.

Helenans with questions about lead paint in toys can call the East Helena program at 227-8451.

John Harrington can be

reached at 447-4080 or john.harrington@helenair.com