• 27
  • December
    2011

Many children were excited to receive and play with new toys this holiday season. Parents may assume that any toys bought off store shelves in the U.S. are safe for their children. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Between 1990 and 2010, more than 400 children died as a result of toy-related injuries.

In order to make parents aware of the potential for injury from children's toys U.S. PIRG, a consumer advocacy group, releases an annual report titled "Trouble in Toyland". The group's reports have identified toys that pose a variety of dangers including choking, strangulation and laceration hazards, as well as dangers from toxic chemicals.

This year the group made several key findings, two of which had to do with the chemicals present in toys. Several toys were found to contain lead and phthalates at levels exceeding recommended limits. Both of these chemicals can be especially damaging to young and developing children.

Choking is responsible for over half of toy-related fatalities in children. U.S. PIRG found multiple toys that violated standards for small parts in toys for children under the age of three. The group also found some toys aimed at older children lacked sufficient choking hazard warnings.

Another area of concern for U.S. PIRG was noisy toys. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, one out of five children experiences some hearing loss by the age of twelve. One potential cause is the loud sounds emitted my some toys and music players. The group found three toys currently on store shelves of concern because of the high decibel sounds they emitted.

Steps You Can Take To Protect Children

U.S. PIRG recommends that adults examine toys carefully before giving them to children. Test if small parts can pass through an empty toilet paper roll, if they can they could be potential choking hazards for infants or toddlers. U.S. PIRG also encourages parents to get their children screened for lead exposure which can be done at most clinics. Finally, consumers can get further information about recalled toys and others with potential hazards at www.toysafety.mobi.

Source: U.S. PIRG, Trouble in Toyland: The 26th Annual Survey of Toy Safety