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Toy safety
The gift-giving season is upon us and most folks have little ones on their lists. All kids love to receive toys, but how do we know which ones are safe? How do we safely use the toys we buy? And what about products that help parents take care of their children? Reports over the last couple of months about lead in children's toys and some recent high-profile recalls can leave you in a quandary.
Not surprisingly, survey results show that a majority of Canadians believe that if a toy or product is available on the market, it is safe.
While the public may reasonably assume it has been tested or inspected and is considered safe, this is not necessarily the case. Not all products are tested before they are stocked on store shelves. Injuries to children from the use of products and toys continue to happen and they can be serious and sometimes fatal. So, what can you do to help keep children safe?
Tips when choosing and using toys
- Pay attention to the age recommendations on toys. For children younger than three years, do not choose toys with small parts. Young children like to explore the world, often by putting things in their mouths. This can lead to choking on smaller parts. Toys meant for older children may have small parts that a young child can choke on. To check if a toy or a toy part is a choking hazard, put it through a cardboard toilet paper roll (diameter 1¼ inches or 3 cm). Anything that fits inside the tube is a choking hazard for children under three years.
- Keep toys with small magnets away from children under six years. If these small magnets become loose, they can be swallowed. If more than one magnet is swallowed, they can cause children to be seriously ill.
- Make sure battery-operated toys are in good condition and that the batteries are not accessible to children. If swallowed, button-type batteries can cause internal chemical burns or poisoning.
- For infants and toddlers, avoid toys with long strings or cords that could get caught around a child's neck.
- Toys that are strung across a crib or playpen are attractive to a small baby but can get caught around a baby's neck. Remove all crib toys strung across the crib as soon as the baby starts to push up on hands or knees or is five months old (whichever comes first).
- Do not put plush or stuffed toys in an infant's crib, as they can pose a suffocation hazard.
- Supervise children playing with balloons. Throw away broken balloon pieces immediately. Latex balloons pose a choking hazard. Mylar (foil) balloons are a safer option.
- Do not let children chew on metal jewelry. Some jewelry contains high levels of lead, which can cause children to become seriously ill.
- Never use baby walkers.
- Never use baby rings or bath seats as they can tip over. Young children are at risk for drowning or near drowning.
Check for product recalls
Health Canada's Consumer Product Safety website lists products, including toys, which have been recalled by the manufacturer due to concerns with safety. Visit their web site or call 1-866-662-0666. You can also call this number if you are out shopping and see a product you think is a concern or is banned, like yo-yo balls or baby walkers.
For more information on lead poisoning, visit AboutKidsHealth.ca .
Canada needs stronger product safety laws
Safe Kids Canada would like to see stronger product safety laws in Canada. Products should be designed with child safety in mind. Safe Kids Canada strongly recommends that Health Canada's product legislation be changed to include a 'precautionary principle' and 'general safety requirement' for all products.
Producers, distributors, retailers and standards developers should build safety into the design of products and toys before they reach the shelves. When there is a problem with a product or toy, swift action should be taken to inform the public about recalls and remove items from the market. These types of changes would bring laws and standards in line with the type of protection that Canadian buyers expect for products on the market.
The federal government, Health Canada in particular, has been responsive to concerns about toys and products that have caused serious injuries to children. They have banned outright the importation and sale of yo-yo balls and the importation, advertising and sale of wheeled baby walkers.
Children should not be put at risk from unsafe products. Concerned parents can contact their local member of Parliament (MP) and/or federal health minister to ask for stronger product laws and standards and increased support for enforcement efforts.
Safe Kids Canada is the national injury prevention program of SickKids. For more safety tips, visit our website or call 1-888-SAFE-TIP (723-3847).
