All parents worry about the safety of their kids- you protect them by keeping sharp objects out of reach, don't give them candy they can choke on, you make sure they hold your hand. But what do you do when your child's toys are the cause of their injuries? It seems that more and more children's toys are being recalled because they are not safe. Whether it be interlocking zippers on boots that cause them to trip, or lead paint on their race cars, it seems every time you turn around another product is being pulled off the shelves.
Who's Involved?
The name we've been hearing the most about in toy recalls over the last several months has no doubt been Mattel. They have had to recall many millions of toys because of factory defects, lead paint, and poor design. While 65% of Mattel's children's toys are made in China and despite having spent the proper time to heavily test all of their toys, Mattel has admitted that some of the responsibility for the recall is their own. While the lead in the surface paint on many toys came from subcontractors in China, that was not the only reason for the recalls, many had design flaws as well.
While a number of different defects are responsible for the recent recalls, lead paint has been the number one problem. Several hundred thousand items have been recalled because of excessive levels of lead. 150,000 bookmarks and journals, 200,000 toy key chains, 80,000 toy flashlights, and 20,000 wooden toys... just to name a few.
What's Been Pulled and Why?
Many different toys have been pulled off shelves so it's impossible to list them all here, but here are a few examples of toys that have been recalled and the injuries they cause:
1. Fisher-Price recalled about a million Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street products, because they contained unsafe levels of toxic lead in the surface paint. Other Mattel toys recalled for the same reason include the Elmo Keyboard, toy figures of Sarge - a popular character from Disney Pixar's 'Cars' film, and 675,000 various Barbie accessories.
2. Mattel also recalled about 345,000 action figure sets because of unsafe magnets. The magnets were able to come loose and could be fatal if swallowed. If the child swallowed two magnets they could stick together in the digestive track and require surgery to remove. Mattel also pulled nearly 7.3 million Polly Pocket toys for the same reason.
3. Nearly 1 million Hasbro Easy-Bake Ovens were also recalled because children were getting their fingers stuck in the oven's opening.
4. Other recalls include baby swings that were trapping the child, Small World Toys that included small magnets and other choking hazard, and Graco Soft Blocks Tower Toys that contained a plastic cover that posed as a choking hazard.
So, Here's What to Do.
If you feel one of your child's toys could be one that has been recalled, check its product number against those listed in the recall notice. If you're seriously unsure, just throw it out. Discard any and all toys you feel may contain lead or other unsafe parts. If you can confirm that it is in fact a recalled item, take it back to the store where you purchased it. Because of the recall, they will give you your money back.
Check your children's toys for choking hazards. Any small parts that could come lose, pull them off and throw them out, or discard the toy entirely.
Have your child tested for lead exposure! Some children will not show signs of lead poisoning even if they have been exposed to levels high enough to result in learning and behavior problems.
If your child was a victim of a defective toy, seek legal advice. While some of the injuries are more minor- like those caused by the Hannah Montana boots that cause children to trip and fall, others are far more serious. The effects of toxic lead on a child could be life altering. Seek experienced and proven successful Personal Injury May be lawyers fight hard on your behalf.
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