Safe gift giving to children
Kathryn Hawley
Many times toys are acquired during the holiday season(s), acquired on-line or even passed down from generation to generation. Much energy and thoughtfulness goes into gifts for a child. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as of 1978 products marketed to children could not have lead in the paint, but lead paint is still used in other countries and may still be on a toy that predates 1978. Interestingly, lead can be found in plastics as lead can be utilized as softening agent to make the plastic more flexible enabling it to go back to its original shape. Exposure to detergents, sunlight, and air can cause the chemical bond between the plastic and lead to break down and forms dust. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues recalls of toys that could potentially expose children to lead.
For General Toy Safety, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services recommends (http://health.mo.gov/living/families/injuries/safety.php) that
• Kids should only play with toys made for their age and instruction manuals shouldn’t be overlooked.
• Parents should check over the toys and read all the instructions and warning labels before letting kids play. If the toy needs assembled, parents need to follow the directions and make sure it’s done properly.
• All toys are clearly marked if they have small parts; do not buy toys with small parts (or allow a child under age 3 to play with those kinds of toys belonging to an older sibling). To be sure of a toy’s size, use a small parts tester (available in quantity from the Safe Kids Resource Catalog, or, anything that can fit within a paper-towel tube is small enough to be swallowed). Do not let small children play with anything that can fit into one of these cylinders.
• Inspect toys to make sure they are in good repair. Do not let young children play with toys that have straps, cords, or strings longer than 7 inches, due to the risk of strangulation.
• Actively supervise children. Caregivers should actively supervise children playing with any toy that has small parts, moving parts, electrical or battery power, cords, wheels or any other potentially risky components. Simply being in the same room as your child is not necessarily supervising. Active supervision means keeping the child in sight and in reach and paying undivided attention.
• Even toys and gifts for babies need to be checked out. If you have an infant with rattles or pacifiers, make sure they’re too big to fit in the child’s mouth so they don’t choke.
• Practice proper storage. Teach children to put toys away after playing, to help prevent falls and unsupervised play, and make sure toys intended for younger children are stored separately from those for older children. Toy chests should be equipped or retrofitted with safety hinges that prevent the lid from closing on a child who is leaning over the open chest; if a chest does not have safety hinges, remove the lid.
See http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/toys.htm for lead information.
To sign up for recall emails, go to http://www.cpsc.gov/ and click on Sign up for Email Announcements.
Report safety concerns about toys to the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 800-638-2772 or www.cpsc.gov.
