Annual warning on unsafe toys issued
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By ANITA CLARK Lee Newspapers
Friday, November 23, 2007 10:45 PM CST
Safety advocates issued their annual warnings Tuesday about toys that can poison, choke or otherwise injure children.
In a holiday shopping season already shadowed by recalls of millions of popular toys, parents need to be especially vigilant about toys that may contain lead or small but powerful magnets, said Cathy Collentine, a student intern with the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group.
“Swallowing a magnet is not like swallowing a penny, ” she said. “These are not weak refrigerator magnets. “
Potentially dangerous toys were displayed Tuesday at American Family Children ’s Hospital as the group released its 22nd annual toy safety survey.
Problem toys included small jewelry items and a zipper pull loaded with lead, a gleaming purple purse with small attachments that fell off easily and a tool set with a plastic bolt small enough to slide through a toilet-paper roll.
That ’s the easiest home test for whether a toy is a choking hazard for a small child. “If a toy fits in there, it ’s too small for a child under the age of 3, ” Collentine said.
Safety advocates offered these tips for parents and other toy buyers:
n Know the child and how he or she plays. If a child older than 3 still puts things in his or her mouth, stay away from small items.
n Be sure to include the safety gear, such as a helmet with a new bicycle.
n Check for recalls at www.toysafety.net or with the Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov or its hot line at 800-638-2772. Report any dangerous toys or injuries to children to the commission or the state Department of Consumer Protection at www.datcp.state.wi.us or its hot line at 800-422-7128.
n Watch out for noisy toys. Loud sound effects could damage hearing if used repeatedly too close to a child ’s ear, Collentine said.
Toy safety advocates, joined Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, also called for legislation to strengthen the effectiveness and independence of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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