Tips on Toy Safety For The Holiday Season

Partner Jerrold S. Parker

Partner Jerry Parker of Parker Waichman LLP gives his holiday toy tips. For more information please see the article in the Huffington Post, originally posted on November 15.

As the holiday season approaches many consumers are flocking to malls in search of the season’s hottest toys. When you begin your holiday shopping, it’s important to remember that even the most popular items could present hidden hazards for your children.

Over the past year we’ve seen a number of toys recalled for various reasons – lead based paint, choking hazards, etc – but in most cases it took tragedy to draw attention to these toys and get them recalled. Manufacturers may fail to properly warn consumers about potential hazards and even the most diligent parents may overlook a hazard. The best way to stay on top on of toy hazards is to follow these safety guidelines:

Make sure toys are age appropriate. This is first and foremost. This might sound obvious, but most injuries occur when parents give their children toys that are too advanced. Also if there are older siblings in your household, make sure their toys are kept away from younger siblings.

Avoid choking hazards. Swallowing small parts is the leading cause of toy-related injuries and deaths, particularly in kids under 3. Young children often have a tendency to put everything in their mouths, so it’s important to keep toys that contain small pieces away from toddlers.

Be sure toys are well made. This is important because small children will often pull off pieces, like the eyes and nose on a stuffed animal, that are not securely fastened. Toys made of flimsy plastic can snap, leaving sharp jagged edges or small pieces that a child can choke on. Make sure to buy toys that are durable and immediately discard any broken toys in your home.

Beware of toxic substances. The effects of lead poisoning are well documented, and under current regulations, children’s products with more than .6 percent lead are subject to a recall. But with lead banned from children’s products, some Chinese manufacturers are using cadmium, an even more dangerous heavy metal that is not currently regulated in children’s jewelry.

Be careful about excessively loud toys. While the American Society for Testing and Materials (ATSM) has put out acoustic standards for handheld toys, you don’t have to measure the decibels of every noisy toy, just remember if it sounds too loud to you, it’s probably too loud for your child.

Avoid certain “action” toys. There are certain toys that are just plain dangerous for kids of any age, and you’ll know them when you see them because they typically resemble weapons and have parts that fly off. These toys, which include paintball guns, slingshots, and high-powered squirt guns can seriously injure kids who are targeted.