November 25th, 2008 · 3 Comments

“But there are certain low cost things we warn people against – for example, do not buy children metal jewelry. The paint on it often contains lead. Do not buy children under the age of 8 a toy that contains a magnet – some of these very high powered magnet are small, and if a child ingests two or more they can attach in their stomach and close off the intestine. There’s also magnetic jewelry out there for the Tweens – the mom won’t let them get piercings in their nose and they get magnetic ones. And what kids are doing is accidentally inhaling these and they have to be surgically removed.”

Other tips:

• Always follow the age advisory, which is more often related to child safety, not development levels.

• Be careful when considering items with rechargeable batteries; they’ve occasionally been shown to overheat or leak.

• Not all toys made in China or Asia are dangerous. In fact, many high-end specialty items for teens come from Japan. Just do a little additional background research to “vet” your child’s gifts this season.

• Go for creative and do-it-yourself items – sewing kits, crafts involving fabric, wood, paper and non-toxic paints; learning items made of sustainable woods, like wood block building sets or chess boards.

• For kids 9 and up, consider a subscription to youth magazines such as “Dig,” an archaeology journal for kids 9-14. Check out Cobblestone Publications for a selection of youth books and magazines.

• Check for manufacturer or country-of-origin, in case you have problems with the toy, you can contact the maker. If you don’t see either, don’t buy it.

• Avoid brightly painted, imported toys for toddlers. If the paint does have lead, it could end up in their mouth.

• Regularly check recalls lists, such as the CPSC’s.

All those warnings nonwithstanding, Nancy Cowles of KID, feels a little better this year about toy safety.

“Most of the major manufacturers, because of the recall scares of the past year, we think now have better safety procedures in place,” she says, adding that she remains wary of cheap painted jewelry and advises that adults refrain from buying it for anyone under six.

“At least until the new law that was passed last year goes into effect (incrementally throughout 2009), we recommend parents not buy cheap jewelry, because a lot of it still contains lead… No children under 6, I would say. They put things in their mouths a lot.

“Also, if you’re buying for a child under three, stay away from very brightly colored, painted products and look for natural ones. If the products have been made in the US, they’re unlikely to contain lead, because lead paint (on American toys) has been banned since the early ’70’s. So almost all that have lead are made overseas… Then some toys and baby products have design flaws, and with those it doesn’t matter where it’s made.”

Cowles says to be particularly cautious when buying cribs, strollers or baby furniture online or second hand, because you don’t know its history or the level of previous wear-and-tear. She also cautions against products with rechargeable batteries.

“Some of these computers and toys with rechargeable batteries have been recalled because the batteries overheated or leaked. That’s a design issue that I think has not been adequately dealt with. If I had younger children, I would avoid buying them toys with rechargeable batteries. And when you do buy something with them, make sure there’s supervision. Also, read the label very carefully and report them if you have problems.”

But if you’re buying new items, she says – whether in stores or online – these days it’s almost always preferable to buy American, especially if you’re trying to be eco-conscious, or at least buy a product whose manufacturer is clearly marked. That way, if your child experiences a problem, you can contact the manufacturer and alert consumer groups of the trouble.

“Look for smaller US companies that maybe sell specialty toys. If you pick up something up at a dollar store, chances are you don’t even see a manufacturer’s name, and it’s probably made overseas. I think most people assume that if it’s on a store shelf in the US, someone’s made sure it’s safe. And that simply has not been the case,” Cowles says.

“I do think things have been cleaned up some, but design issues . . . continue to be a problem. And until more safety testing is done and more, I think we need to be really careful. And if you buy something and a screw’s loose or a toy has paint coming off or a child gets hurt playing with it, you need to report them.”

If all of these concerns simply makes your head swim and threatens to keep Santa from even contemplating a stop on your roof, maybe follow the lead of Don Mays of Yonkers.

“What we’re doing this year for our kids is we’re getting them a puppy.” Unlike President-elect Barack Obama, however, Mays knows what kind of dog he’s getting: A cockapoo.

Lead paint worries, be gone!

Copyright © 2008 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

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