But parents still need to be vigilant to protect kids from injury

By Dennis Thompson

(HealthDay News) -- It seems inconceivable that a toy -- an object meant to inspire whimsy and joy -- might instead cause injury and death.

But it happens.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) counted 18 toy-related deaths and another 232,900 injuries among children younger than 15 in 2007, the most recent year they've tallied.

But hope is growing among toy safety advocates that help is on the way.

The recall of 45 million toys and other children's products in 2007 because of toxic levels of lead has prompted regulators and businesses to redouble efforts to protect children from unsafe toys, said Liz Hitchcock, public health advocate for U.S. PIRG, the national federation of state Public Interest Research Groups.

A new law passed in the wake of the lead recalls gave the safety commission increased regulatory powers, backed up by funding increases for the agency.

"We have seen very positive signs from the CPSC that they are developing the regulations and are hiring the staff to enable them to keep unsafe toys off the shelves," Hitchcock said. "The agency now has the tools it needs and the will to be a greater protector to consumers."

She noted that last year the commission had three seats vacant and was still trying to figure out how to best enforce the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act's requirements on toy manufacturers.

"Now the CPSC has new leadership, five commissioners in place and they are working with their staff to implement a great product safety law," Hitchcock said.

Toy sellers also appear to be placing a greater emphasis on safety.

"We have seen some very hopeful signs from retailers who don't want to get stuck having to participate in a recall of a product," Hitchcock said, noting that she's heard good things about tougher policies on manufacturers that have been implemented by Target, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us. "Retailers don't want to sell a product that's going to hurt a kid."

All of which is good news, but it doesn't change the fact that parents still need to be vigilant about the toys their kids play with.

That includes using the age label on toy packaging when deciding whether a toy is appropriate for their children.

Many people misread the label's intent, assuming it's meant as an assessment of what ages will best enjoy a toy, said Sarah Hecker, a spokeswoman for Prevent Blindness America, which sponsors December as Safe Toys and Gifts Month.

The label is actually a warning about the appropriateness of a toy for safety reasons. Each toy has been assessed to determine if it poses a choking hazard or some other potential danger to younger children.

"The label's on there for a reason," Hecker said. "They take into account development levels and age-appropriateness. We need to follow the label."

Children younger than 3, in particular, should not be given toys with small parts that can break or fall off.

"Even if your daughter or son is quite brilliant, children under the age of 3 still explore the world by putting things in their mouth," Hitchcock said. "Every year, children choke to death on small parts. The age labels aren't about how smart your kid is."

Parents of more than one child also should be aware that the toys they buy for their older child could fall into the hands of the younger child.

"I've always called them 'hand-me-down hazards,'" Hitchcock said. "The 2-year-old is always more interested in what the 5-year-old's got. So parents need to be aware of the parts in toys for older children if they've got young children in the house."

Parents can protect the younger child either by restricting the child to a play area where the older kid's toys aren't available or by doing a thorough cleanup of all toys every day.

The packaging that toys come in can also present a choking hazard.

"There are all kinds of screws and ties and plastic bits and pieces," Hecker said. "Anybody taking toys out of a package needs to be sure to clean all those up so little children don't find them and put them in their mouths."

Small balls and balloons pose choking hazards as well and should not be given to young children. Both can be easily inhaled by a small child, leading to a blocked airway, which can cause suffocation and death. Rubber balls and balloons caused six of the 18 toy-related deaths in 2007, according to the CPSC.

And worries about toxin levels in toys have not been erased. Hitchcock said her group continues to be concerned about the levels of lead and other chemicals in toys, despite the new consumer law.

"There's no safe dose of lead for children, but because the law is phasing in over time, right now the limit is 300 parts per million," she said.

Be especially wary of cheap toys bought in bargain stores, she said. "You find lead in a lot of costume jewelry and some metal toys," Hitchcock said. "We found lead in a gladiator costume, in the helmet and in the handle of the sword."

Parents should also be aware of the presence of trace amounts of a chemical known as phthalates in plastic toys. The chemicals are used to soften plastic, but they're toxic and can affect a child's proper development, she said.

"If parents want to be very safe, [they should] avoid buying soft plastic toys for their children," Hitchcock said.

Finally, if a parent buys a child any sort of wheeled toy, be it a bike or a scooter or rollerblades, they also need to purchase a helmet and other safety equipment to go along with it, Hecker said. A quarter of the injuries children sustained in 2007 came from riding toys.

And if you're buying a gift for the child of a friend or relative, a gift certificate might be best.

"It's OK to give gift certificates, especially for older kids," Hecker said. "That way, they and their parents can choose a gift that's appropriate to them."

On the Web

The Nemours Foundation has more on choosing a safe toy.

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