KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, one consumer group is issuing a word of caution for parents.

The Center for Environmental Health recently tested about 250 children's products bought at major retailers and found some children’s products contain unsafe levels of lead.

"Lead slows development,” said Dr. John Beuerlein, a University of Tennessee Medical Center pediatrician. “It causes memory problems and some growth problems."

Health experts have been warning about the dangers of lead and its effects on children since the late 1970s. When it comes to toys, they say it’s hard for parents to know if it contains a potentially dangerous level of lead.

"The screening tools for homes aren't very good,” said Dr. Beuerlein, “so we depend on the government screening."

According to the California-based advocacy group behind the recent round of testing, several popular toys carrying Barbie and Disney logo’s are among the 250 that were tested.

"No company wants to be the one caught with lead in their stuff," said Michael Green, director of the Center for Environmental Health.

Seven of the products tested had high levels of lead. They included the Dora the Explorer activity tote, MSY Faded Glory Rebecca Shoes, Paula fuchsia open-toed shoes, reversible Croco belt, Barbie Bike Flair Accessory Kit, a kids poncho, and Disney Fairies Silvermist's Water Lily necklace.

The Walt Disney Company disputed the results in a media release saying, "Tests showed the necklace to be in compliance with all applicable state and federal consumer safety regulations."

Mattel said it licensed the Barbie product to Bell Sports. According to Bell, "it was an older product that passed safety tests in 2007."

Two years ago lead-tainted toys led to a recall of more than two million toys and brought about stricter standards.

Even the Center for Environmental Health admitted that in spite of the new test results, there are
fewer dangerous toys on the shelves.

"It is definitely a safer Christmas than it was two years ago,” said Green.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is looking into the watchdog group’s claims