TORONTO — Health Canada is urging parents to get rid of children's jewelry if they suspect it contains lead, in light of voluntary recalls for certain jewelry products in recent weeks.

It says high levels of lead continue to be found in a wide variety of children's jewelry products sold in Canada, and kids can ingest harmful amounts if they chew, suck on or swallow the items.

In addition, the agency advises that cadmium, a carcinogen, is sometimes being substituted for lead, and this too presents a health concern.

Adult jewelry may also contain lead, so it shouldn't be given to children to wear or play with.

Health Canada says caregivers who think a child has sucked regularly on jewelry that might contain lead or cadmium should ask their doctor to do a blood test for lead or other heavy metals. Swallowing such an item could cause severe lead poisoning.

Simply wearing such jewelry is not considered a serious risk to health.

Under the Hazardous Products Act, it's illegal to import, advertise or sell jewelry that appeals mainly to kids under 15 if it contains more than 600 mg/kg total lead and 90 mg/kg of migratable lead.

"The level of lead found in a product can not be determined visually," the agency said in a statement released Monday.

"Products labelled as 'lead free' have been found to violate Health Canada's lead requirements."

Health Canada says consumers should throw out the jewelry in their regular household garbage or contact their municipality for instructions on how to dispose of items containing lead.