Tips for Toy Safety
Thousands of toys are on the market, each promising to educate or entertain our children. Unfortunately, as the recalls of millions of toys in 2007 have shown, not every toy is safe. Toy buyers can help protect children from injury by being careful, vigilant shoppers. U.S. PIRG’s Tips for Toy Safety are designed to help parents, grandparents, care givers and toy buyers avoid the most common hazards in toys:
General tips:
- Buy children accessories for safety. Toys such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards and inline skates are safer when children wear protective gear. If you plan to give any of these toys as gifts, make them safer by also giving a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards
- Stay informed of recalls. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recllas numersous toys and children's products each year. Check www.recalls.gov for an archive of old recalls and to sign up to receive email alerts of new recalls.
Choking Hazards
Avoid choking hazards. Do not buy
small toys or toys with small parts for children under 3, or any child
who still puts things in her mouth.
Choking is the most common
cause of toy-related deaths. According to the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC), at least nine children aspirated or choked to death
in 2005 on balloons, toys, or toy parts.
Read and heed warning labels.
Toys with small parts intended for children between 3 and 6 are required by law to include an explicit choke hazard warning.
Never give young children small balls or balloons.
Small balls, balloons and pieces of broken bal-loons are particularly dangerous, as they can completely block a child’s airway.
-Make sure balls for children under 6 years old are more than 1.75 inches in diameter.
-Never give latex balloons to children younger than 8 years old. Mylar balloons are a safer alternative.
MAGNETIC TOYS with powerful magnets
Powerful magnets used in most magnetic building toys and magnetic jewelry pose special hazards. If a child swallows more than one magnet, they can attract each other in the body (in stomach and intestines) and cause life-threatening complications.-Keep magnetic toys away from children under six.
-If a child swallows more than one magnet, seek immediate medical attention
NOISE
Children's ears are sensitive. To protect children from loud toys:
-If a toy seems too loud for your ears, it is probably too loud for a child.
-Take the batteries out of loud toys or cover the speakers with tape.
STRANGULATION HAZARDS
-Keep mobiles out of the reach of children in cribs and remove them before the baby is five months old or can push herself up.
-Remove knobs or beads from cords longer than one foot to prevent the cords from tangling into a dangerous loop.
TOXIC CHEMICALS
Some children’s toys and cosmetics may contain toxic chemicals.
-Avoid toys made of PVC plastic; choose unpainted wooden or cloth toys instead.
-Read the labels of play cosmetics and avoid products with xylene, toluene, or dibutyl phthalate.
LEAD
CPSC, PIRG and children’s health groups have found high levels of lead paint on toys, as well as high levels of lead in vinyl lunchboxes and bibs and in children’s or costume jewelry.
Children exposed to lead can suffer lower IQ, developmental delays or even death. All lead should be removed from a child’s environment, especially lead jewelry and other toys that can be swallowed.
-To test a piece of jewelry for lead, use a home lead tester available at the hardware store. Or simply throw cheap, heavy metal jewelry away.
-Tell your children not to put their jewelry in their mouths.