In This Article
30-Second Summary
Headline Links: Parents concerned and confused about toy recalls
Background: Toy recalls and Chinese-made toys
Key Players: Consumer Product Safety Commission, China, and the toy industry
Reactions: Safety concerns, the CPSC Reform Act of 2007, and information from retailers
Health & Safety: Lead poisoning symptoms, health effects and treatment, and lead testing kits
Reference Material: The safe toys and the dangerous ones and how to buy American and European children’s products
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Health Risks with Imported Toys Trouble Parents
December 23, 2007 10:00 AM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
With unsafe Chinese-made toys being recalled in massive numbers, parents are left unsure what is safe, where to buy American-made products and what to do if their child has been exposed to lead from an imported toy.
30-Second Summary
Approximately 80 percent of all toys imported into the United States come from China. That figure might alarm parents who have been reading news reports over the last few months about the wide variety of Chinese imports, from toxic pet food to defective tires, to be withdrawn from U.S. stores.
In one of the more recent developments, in early November, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission discovered that 4 million Chinese-made Aqua Dots toys contained a chemical that, if ingested, can turn into the date rape drug GHB, a chemical that can induce seizures or a coma. At least two children have fallen into a comatose state after coming into contact with Aqua Dots.
More commonly, the dangerous toys from the Far East have contained potentially harmful levels of lead. The ledger of offending products includes Curious George Plush Dolls, by Marvel, and The Robot 2000 collectible figures and the Dizzy Ducks Music Box from Schylling Associates.
The American Academy of Family Physicians explains that if a child suffers exposure to a lead-tainted toy over a substantial period of time or ingests lead, parents should request that their doctor perform a simple blood test, requiring only a drop of blood from the subject’s finger.
Some of the long-term effects of lead poisoning include loss of IQ points, impairments in language fluency or communication skills, memory problems, attention deficiency and diminished manual dexterity.
Lead poisoning is treated through chelation therapy, in which the child takes an oral medication that binds with the lead so it is excreted as urine.
Concerned by the recent recalls, many parents have turned to American-made toy retailers, such as Uncle Goose blocks and all-wood Holgate toys.
findingDulcinea has conducted extensive research into toys that we believe to be made in the United States or Europe and from that research have compiled our toy store.
In one of the more recent developments, in early November, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission discovered that 4 million Chinese-made Aqua Dots toys contained a chemical that, if ingested, can turn into the date rape drug GHB, a chemical that can induce seizures or a coma. At least two children have fallen into a comatose state after coming into contact with Aqua Dots.
More commonly, the dangerous toys from the Far East have contained potentially harmful levels of lead. The ledger of offending products includes Curious George Plush Dolls, by Marvel, and The Robot 2000 collectible figures and the Dizzy Ducks Music Box from Schylling Associates.
The American Academy of Family Physicians explains that if a child suffers exposure to a lead-tainted toy over a substantial period of time or ingests lead, parents should request that their doctor perform a simple blood test, requiring only a drop of blood from the subject’s finger.
Some of the long-term effects of lead poisoning include loss of IQ points, impairments in language fluency or communication skills, memory problems, attention deficiency and diminished manual dexterity.
Lead poisoning is treated through chelation therapy, in which the child takes an oral medication that binds with the lead so it is excreted as urine.
Concerned by the recent recalls, many parents have turned to American-made toy retailers, such as Uncle Goose blocks and all-wood Holgate toys.
findingDulcinea has conducted extensive research into toys that we believe to be made in the United States or Europe and from that research have compiled our toy store.
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Headline Links: Parents concerned and confused about toy recalls
“We’re going with the please-don’t-buy-her-toys mantra this year. One, [our daughter] really does have a lot of toys, and two, at this point I don’t really know what to do,” states Veronica Arreola, a mother of a four-year-old girl. Although many parents share Arreola’s sentiments, some are overwhelmed by the issue. “I’m so sick of the recall topic. It’s too much information to absorb,” explains M.J. Tam, a mother of three.
Source: Sun-Times
Background: Toy recalls and Chinese-made toys
In early November, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that 4 million Chinese-made Aqua Dots toys were being recalled because if swallowed, the dots can cause seizures or lead to a coma. When the chemical metabolizes it can change into the date rape drug known as GHB (gamma-hydroxy butyrate).
Source: CNN
In 2005, a toddler died after swallowing magnets from a child’s toy, Magnetix; if a child swallows two magnets, the magnets may stick together and cause intestinal damage to the child. New design and label standards for magnets found in child toys will make magnetic toys safer and allow parents to identify which toys have magnets in them, however, these changes will not come into effect until after the holiday season in January 2008.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
The CPSC Toy Hazard Recalls page lists in reverse chronological order all the toys that have been recalled.
Source: The CPSC Toy Hazard Recalls
With approximately 80 percent of all toys imported into the United States originating in China and the recent extensive recalls of Chinese-made toys, The Wall Street Journal questions how U.S. companies can benefit from low-priced goods without “getting torpedoed” by safety and regulatory risks. In addition, the Journal cites a 2004 University of Beijing study that found that 34 percent of young children living in China had blood-lead levels that exceeded the limits set by the World Health Organization.
Source: The Wall Street Journal (subscription may be required)
According to The New York Times, the 420 employees of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are stretched thin. The commission has only one solitary employee to test the toxicity of toys and new safety initiatives are frozen because of budget cutbacks. “Buyer beware — that is all I have to say,” states Suzanne Barone, the poison prevention expert who left the CPSC in 2005.
Source: The New York Times
Key Players: Consumer Product Safety Commission, China, and the toy industry
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is responsible for “protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction.” The CPSC is the agency charged with the responsibility of recalling unsafe toys.
Source: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Although China technically has stricter standards regarding the lead content in paint than the United States, the standards are not met. According to The New York Times, in China paint with higher levels of lead usually sells for a third of the price of safer paint products and, therefore, is used to cut toy-manufacturing costs.
Source: The New York Times
As concerns over toy recalls mount, toy retailers have introduced tougher safety checks for their toys. Target Corp. says that it has broadened testing for store-brand toys; J.C. Penny Co. is retesting toys it has sold over the past two years; and Walmart announced it is sending 200 toys a day to laboratories for analysis.
Source: The Wall Street Journal (subscription may be required)
Reactions: Safety concerns, the CPSC Reform Act of 2007, and information from retailers
According to a study conducted by Accenture, a retail consultant firm, more than two-thirds of those polled stated that they were “concerned about the safety of Chinese-made toys and almost half stated they had chosen not to buy toys from China.” This accords with the prediction made by The National Retail Federation, which expects that sales in November and December will show the slowest gain in five years.
Source: MSNBC
The CPSC Reform Act of 2007
In response to the public outcry over the rash of recent recalls, the Senate Commerce Committee passed the CPSC Reform Act of 2007, which provides the CPSC with more authority and resources. The act increases the cap on fines from 1.83 million to 100 million, gives state attorney generals the power to enforce CPSC regulations, allows some children’s toys to be tested in independent laboratories, and makes it illegal to sell a recalled product.
Source: North Country Gazette
The full text of the S. 2045 CPSC Reform Act of 2007 is available from GovTrack.US.
Source: GovTrack.US
Stores such as Toys ‘R’ Us have country-of-origin information available in their stores for any customer who requests it. However, such information is not listed on their Web site.
Source: The Daily Green
On August 14, 2007, Mattel took out a full-page ad in The New York Times in response to the recall of Mattel toys. The ad features a letter from Bob Eckert, the Mattel CEO, which explains why the company voluntarily recalled certain toys and declares, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our children.”
Source: The New York Times
The Toy Industry Association, which represents Mattel Inc. and Hasbro Inc. among others, opened a hotline that will answer safety questions consumers might have on any toys, recalled or otherwise. The hotline number is 888-88-4TOYS and users can visit www.toyinfo.org for more information.
Source: Bloomberg.com
Health & Safety: Lead poisoning symptoms, health effects and treatment, and lead testing kits
The American Academy of Family Physicians explains that if a child comes into contact with a lead-tainted toy once or twice, it is probably no cause for concern. It is when the child has continual exposure to a lead-tainted toy over a period of time or ingests lead by putting a toy in its mouth, swallowing part of a toy or touches a toy containing lead and then puts its fingers in its mouth that parents should consult their doctor.
Source: FamilyDoctor.org
The director of the Lawrence Poison and Drug Information Center, Dr. John Benitez, explains, "If a kid just touches and plays with a lead-painted toy, it is not a problem. But if that child sits and chews on it for weeks and months and absorbs lead—that becomes a risk." Web MD asserts that the long-term effects of lead poisoning include “loss of IQ points, impairments in language fluency or communication, memory problems, trouble paying attention, lack of concentration, poor fine-motor skills, difficulty with planning and organization, difficulty forming abstract concepts, poor cognitive flexibility (trying something else if the first thing you try doesn't solve a problem).”
Source: WebMD
Mayo Clinic specialist Dr. Jay Hoecker provides information on toy recalls and answers questions about lead poisoning. Dr. Hoecker states that lead poisoning is at times difficult to detect, but can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. Lead poisoning is treated through chelation therapy, in which the child takes an oral medication that binds with the lead so it is excreted in his or her urine.
Source: Mayo Clinic
In late October, Consumer Reports tested five home lead-test kits. Of the five, Consumer Reports found that three—Homax Lead Check, $8; Lead Check Household Lead Test Kit, $18.45; and Lead Inspector, $13—were reasonably accurate. However, Consumer Reports recommends that if exact lead levels are required, the item in question should be screened professionally.
Source: Consumer Reports
Reference Material: The safe toys and the dangerous ones and how to buy American and European children’s products
In addition to identifying the toys to avoid, Parents.com (the online home of American Baby, Parents and Family Circle) offers information on how to choose products for children.
Source: Parents.com
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers tips on how to choose safe toys this holiday season. For example, stuffed toys should be washable, paints should be lead-free, and “crayons and paints should say ASTM D-4236 on the package, which means that they’ve been evaluated by the American Society for Testing and Materials.”
Source: FamilyDoctor.org
Safe Kids USA
Safe Kids USA, an organization which aims to prevent accidental childhood injuries, explains that while the number of toys being recalled is a fraction of the toys sold nationwide, parents need to be vigilant about toy safety.
Source: Safe Kids USA
Safe Kid USA offers toy safety tips, a toy-buying guide and information on recalls.
Source: Safe Kids USA
Toys made in the United States and Europe
Sandra M. Graves, a mother of a 14-month-old girl, created a list of U.S.- and European-made toys sold online after a succession of toy recalls. Graves explains that health concerns were her motivation for creating the Web site: “It's important to me because I know that pregnant women and children are more susceptible to lead. I saw that whether lead is absorbed in the skin, inhaled or ingested, it is toxic to humans."
Source: The Saginaw News
Sandra M. Grave’s Web site, American Made Toys, alphabetically lists U.S.- and European-made toys. Please note that Grave indicates that although she has checked most of the links to ensure that the products are made in America, she has not looked at all of them.
Source: American Made Toys
The Daily Green has compiled a list of U.S.-made toys by researching toy Web sites and the products themselves; if it was not clear that the toy was made in America, The Daily Green contacted the company directly.
Source: The Daily Green
Fat Brain Toys has U.S.- and European-made product sections, which feature such toys as NameTrain Letter Cars, Dress-A-Doll, a seven-and-a-half-foot Plains Hideaway Teepee with paints and brushes and Super Snow, which children combine with water to make an artificial snowfall.
Source: Fat Brain Toys
findingDulcinea has conducted extensive research into toys that we believe to be made in the United States or Europe and from that research have compiled our toy store. We also have read many reviews and consulted personally with parents for toys we believe will enrich your child's toy experience. We have done our best to ensure these toys were made in America or Europe, however, given the inaccuracies we found in other reviews we cannot give complete assurance that our list is entirely accurate.
Source: Dulcinea's Toy Store
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