Individuals may be unable to reduce their exposure to mercury in the air, but they can reduce their risk of illness and their child's risk of illness by removing mercury-containing thermometers from their homes.

Mercury in all of its forms is toxic to the fetus and children, and efforts should be made to reduce exposure to the extent possible to pregnant women and children as well as the general population.

Exposure to high levels of mercury can result in permanent damage to the brain and kidney. While intact thermometers do not increase mercury exposure, if the thermometer breaks it can release the toxic substance.

"Much of the fish that's been a big part of our diet has been found to have amounts of mercury that's not safe," committee member Dr. Michael Shannon, of the Children's Hospital in Massachusetts told Reuters Health.

According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, nearly 1 in 10 US women could have levels of mercury in their blood that are close to hazardous.

American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) Committee on Environmental Health July 2, 2001