Holiday Shopping During the Year of Toy Recalls

The time for Christmas shopping is upon us, but with recalls coming from every corner in 2007, it can be difficult to feel safe with any toys for your children. In 2004, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported sixteen toy-related deaths. Another 161,100 children were treated for toy-related injuries in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. While the shopping can be stressful, following a few simple guidelines can make the act significantly less daunting.
1. Read and follow all labels and safety recommendations on toys. Many times, parents see a label that reads "For Children 4+" and assume that since their three-year-old is very intellectually advanced, it should be fine. Toys have age recommendations for a reason and they should be followed closely.

2. For all infants, toddlers, and very young children, avoid toys with small parts. Experts say that mouthing, the act of chewing on toys and other objects, mainly occurs between infancy and eighteen months with the majority occurring during teething. While most children stop mouthing as they reach the toddler stage, some children will continue the behavior for years. Toys with small parts pose a choking risk that can be as benign as a piece of plastic found in a diaper a couple days later or as serious as death. Choking isn't the only risk either. The CPSC reports that ingestion of toys can result in pinched or lacerated intestines which can also be fatal.

3. Test toys in your own home. After the rash of lead-related recalls, it pays to be knowledgeable about what comes into your home. The best way to find out if your house contains lead, whether in the paint on the walls or the toys under the tree, is a simple swab-type test available at a consumer level. Several websites offer test kits, but the most popular seems to be www.leadinspector.com which offers kits including 8, 24, or 100 tests. If you want to test the toys you're buying as Christmas gifts, a $29.99 investment will buy you enough tests to inspect 24 items. The instructions are simple - just dab the test on the surface of the toy you're testing and watch for a color change. What do you do if you find that a toy contains lead? Remove it from your home immediately and contact the CPSC as well as the toy manufacturer.

4. Avoid buying movies and video games for young children. Recent studies have shown that even videos designed to enhance intelligence in babies, such as the Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby series, can delay speech development in toddlers. Researchers found that for every hour spent watching these videos in a day, children learned six to eight fewer new words than babies who had never been exposed to the videos. During the ages of eight to sixteen months, when language skills are developing quickly, this setback can be huge. Even if you think it may be a quick and easy baby sitter, you're doing far more harm than good.
5. Be informed. The most important step to safe holiday shopping is to empower yourself with knowledge. Several websites, including the CPSC official page, allow for email updates with recall and safety information. While most dangerous toys are removed from shelves immediately, some "recalls" are merely suggestions and it is left up to the consumer to make the decision to buy or not to buy. The only way to find out about these bulletins is to do your research and make the most informed decision possible.

In the end, you know what's best for your family. The danger of lead poisoning and contaminated toys is well-documented, but it's up to you to choose the toys that are right for your children. Become an expert - read all the available information, find toys that suit your child's age and interest level, and avoid hazardous playthings. Christmas is about family and togetherness. Don't you owe it to your family to keep the toy box safe?