UPDATE 1-Aqua Dots head parade of further US toy recalls

(Recasts with Aqua Dots recall)

By Karey Wutkowski and Julie Vorman

WASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - About 4.2 million Chinese-made Aqua Dots toys were recalled for possibly containing a "date rape" drug, U.S. safety officials said on Wednesday after earlier announcing another batch of toy recalls for unacceptably high levels of lead.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said the Aqua Dots craft toys include a chemical, 1,4 butanediol, on their beads which, if swallowed, can turn toxic and cause unconsciousness, respiratory depression, or seizures.

The Aqua Dots toys made Wal-Mart Stores Inc's (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) list of top 12 Christmas toys and have been sold at major U.S. retail stores since April for between $17 and $30.

Australian officials issued a nation-wide ban on a similar toy after three children were hospitalized.

Also on Wednesday, the CPSC issued recalls for about 403,000 toys with paint containing excessive levels of lead, including 380,000 toy cars sold at Dollar General stores.

Other warnings were for Dizzy Ducks music boxes, Winnie-the-Pooh spinning tops, "Big Red" wagons, Dragster and Funny Car toys, and Duck Family collectible wind-up toys, all because of paint with unsafe levels of lead.

Recalls involving millions of mostly Chinese-made toys, the majority over lead in their paint, have alarmed American consumers in recent months. Lead is toxic and can pose serious health risks to children, including brain damage.