It’s that time of year where parents scour department stores in search of new toys to surprise and entertain their little ones.
Just because something is cute, sparkly and on sale does not mean its safe for children. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), at least 41 children swallowed or choked to death from 2005-09 on balloons, toys, or toy parts. Choking is the most common cause of toy-related deaths.
That’s why Phoenix Children’s Hospital has joined with Arizona PIRG Education Fund, a consumer interest organization, to get the word out about toy dangers.
Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to the State PIRG’s 27th annual Trouble in Toyland report.
The list includes some toy cars being sold, a small bowling set, play food and balloons that market to one year olds. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends against balloons for kids under the age of eight.
The PIRG’s annual report includes laboratory testing on toys for lead, cadmium and phthalates, all of which have been proven to have serious adverse health impacts on the development of young children. A few of the potentially harmful toys listed in the report are a Dora the Explorer backpack made with phthalates and a Morphobot that contains lead.
Another injury young children can sustain is less obvious, hearing loss. Many toys are so loud they can permanently affect a child’s hearing. Those toys are listed in the report as well. One is FunKeys sold at Target, another is a car wheel horn sold at Toys-R-Us. The report says prolonged exposure to these toys can cause hearing damage.
Other toys the report cites that could be dangerous are magnets. One is called Snake Eggs sold at Dollar Tree stores.
“Sometimes parents don’t understand the dangers of certain toys, especially something like magnets. Some kids will swallow a magnet and then a couple hours later swallow another one and those 2 magnets eventually connect to each other in different pieces of the intestine. This can create holes in the intestine,” said Dr. Kathy Graziano of Phoenix Children’s hospital.
“We should be able to trust that the toys we buy are safe. However, until that’s the case, parents need to watch out for common hazards when shopping for toys,” said Monica Flores, representative of the Arizona PIRG Education Fund.
According to the PIRG report, here are some tips that can help parents navigate the toy aisle:
Bigger is better: Do not buy small toys or toys with small parts for children under age 3. If a toy or part of a toy can pass through a toilet paper tube, don’t buy it for a child under age 3, or any child who still puts things in his/her mouth.
Read and heed warning labels: Toys with small parts intended for children between ages 3 and 6 are required by law to include an explicit choking hazard warning.
Never give young children small balls or balloons: Small balls, balloons and pieces of broken balloons are particularly dangerous, as they can completely block a child’s airway.
Beware of magnetic toys
Keep button batteries away from kids
Lead and Other Toxic Chemicals. Some children’s toys and cosmetics may contain lead or other toxic chemicals, including phthalates. While most lead and phthalates are being phased out of toys beginning in 2009, older toys may still contain them.
See the Trouble in Toyland report at www.arizonapirg.org. For toy recalls go to www.recall.gov
