| You glance over at your young child and see | | | | strangulation. Choking can occur with toys |
| her happily on the floor playing with her | | | | that have small parts or pieces, balls or |
| toys. Knowing she is safe, you go ahead and | | | | removable parts. |
| start preparing dinner. Between rinsing the | | | | |
| vegetables and putting water on to boil, a | | | | So what do you do? Buy toys and really hope |
| tragedy could occur. Your child could be | | | | that nothing terrible happens? What if |
| seriously or even fatally injured by her | | | | you're a child care provider or you're |
| favorite toys. | | | | purchasing toys for a waiting room at a |
| | | | doctor's office? You absolutely cannot |
| This is something no parent should ever have | | | | afford to take the chance of someone else's |
| to face, but it happens every day. Is your | | | | child being injured by one of the toys that |
| child safe with their toys? | | | | you've provided for them to play with. It |
| | | | sure seems like most of the toys you buy |
| In today's toy and child care marketplace, | | | | could be dangerous. But not all of them are. |
| product recalls happen all the time. Even | | | | |
| with reputable companies and after what would | | | | Primary Risks from Toys |
| appear to be exhaustive development and | | | | |
| testing. | | | | * Strangulation |
| | | | |
| Unfortunately, sometimes a recall happens | | | | * Choking |
| only after a child or multiple children have | | | | |
| been hurt. Recently, the Thomas the Tank | | | | * Electric Shock or Burn |
| Engine toys were recalled. The recall | | | | |
| included various Thomas and Friends toys | | | | * Lead Poisoning |
| because the paint finish on the trains | | | | |
| contained lead. There were about 1.5 MILLION | | | | * Cuts and Scrapes |
| of these toys sold nationwide from January | | | | |
| 2005 through 2007. The same reason prompted | | | | Some ideas for child toy safety at home |
| a recall of the Soldier Bear Action figures | | | | |
| sold between August 2006 through 2007. | | | | * Buy only toys from reputable manufacturers |
| | | | |
| Central to the recall of the 'Thomas' | | | | * Use 'Common Sense' in toy selection |
| Products and Fisher-Price was the danger of | | | | |
| 'Lead Poisoning' which occurs predominantly | | | | * Buy toys appropriate for the child's age |
| in children who are well known to sample | | | | |
| things by putting them in their mouths. Lead | | | | * Inspect toys carefully for potential |
| poisoning can damage internal organs | | | | dangers |
| including the kidneys, nervous system and | | | | |
| brain. This is particularly dangerous | | | | * Expect the 'Unexpected': Look at toys with |
| because in children from age infant to seven | | | | critical viewpoint |
| years, their little bodies are still | | | | |
| developing, and lead poisoning can leave | | | | * Do not leave small children unattended for |
| PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT. Your child can suffer | | | | any length of time |
| from a lower I.Q. and physical disabilities. | | | | |
| All of this from her favorite toy that you | | | | * Packaging material is NOT a toy! Remove it |
| thought was safe. With the knowledge of this | | | | from a child's presence! |
| today among manufacturers, this scenario | | | | |
| should never have to happen. | | | | * Use Safety Gear where available for the |
| | | | type of toy. (helmets, pads,etc) |
| Unfortunately, there is more. Children could | | | | |
| become blinded, scarred, or disfigured if any | | | | * Checkout toy reviews and recall notices. |
| of their toys have a rigid edge or surface. | | | | The internet makes this easy to do. |
| If your child picks up a toy like this and | | | | |
| goes running around like children do all the | | | | Nothing can take the place of 'common sense' |
| time, this could be disastrous. Toys that | | | | here. You have to get 'outside yourself' as a |
| contain loose attachments or cars that have | | | | adult and see the toy from the child's point |
| wheels that move automatically could also be | | | | of view. In other words, you can NEVER assume |
| tragic. Your child's hair could become | | | | what a child will or won't do with a toy. |
| entangled in the moving parts, causing | | | | |
| laceration, scalp injuries or even | | | | Let's be careful out there! |