When Toyland Feels Like a War Zone: Dangerous Children’s Products
(December 2011) In an ideal world, products made for children would be unwaveringly safe: made with the gentlest ingredients, the most eco-friendly parts and the well-being of the young recipients in mind.
Too often, however, this is not the case.
Toys and products intended for children can have life-changing – indeed, life-threatening – consequences for the most vulnerable in our midst.
Common Dangers in Children’s Products
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2010 saw 17 children younger than 15 die because of dangerous toys; 15 died in 2009.
Choking hazards in defective toys are a danger for children in Connecticut and beyond. So are chemicals, such as those found in chemically treated mattresses, and heavy metals, such as the lead in some protein drinks, jewelry and tote bags.
Magnets are a continuing danger to children. Children who swallow two or more magnets can unwittingly start a chain of events that ends in damaged intestinal walls and possibly death.
Even balloons, perhaps surprisingly to some, can pose a serious hazard to children under 8 years old.
Seeking Safe Products for Children
Parents may feel powerless in the face of startling warnings about some toys and children’s products. But they can take steps to protect their children:
- Check the CPSC’s recalled toys list to see whether a toy you are considering has been recalled
- To help avoid choking dangers, ensure that all parts of a toy for a child 3 years old or younger are too large to fit in a toilet paper tube
- Skip toys that use projectiles like bows and arrows
Children trust the parents who give them toys, and parents should be able to trust the toymakers who make the toys. Unfortunately, parents must be extra vigilant because manufacturers do not always have the best interests of our smallest citizens at heart.