TOY RECALL INFO TIPS
The news of recent recalls of toys and other children's products are making lots of parents nervous. In light of the fact that this will not be the last time of toys/products recalled, BabyCenter.com gives parents 7 good tips of what you can do in the wake of the recalls to protect your child from illness and injury:
1. Check the product number.Locate the product number on your child's toy and check it against the recall notice published in our Recall Finder, on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website, or at the manufacturer's website.
2. Take away recalled toys immediately.You should take it away immediately and follow the recall instructions for returning it or getting reimbursed. For example, in the case of Sarge of the movie Cars, you can follow MATTEL's consumer relation recall answer center, click here to learn how to do this. Be creative as to how to remove the toys from your children. For example, I told my kids that Sarge was sick and we needed to take him to the doctor right away. They looked for all their Sarge "versions" and put them in a bag so we can take them to the doctor's.
3. Throw out any broken or worn-out magnetic toys.Mattel and Mega Brands issued recalls this year for several magnetic toys because the small, powerful magnets inside them can loosen and fall out. Children who swallow the magnets could suffer life-threatening conditions like bowel obstruction or perforation of the intestine.
4. Buy toys that are locally made.Although it may be hard these days to only buy US-made toys since so many toys are made in China or elsewhere, you may want to try buying only US-made toys as much as you possibly can. Lead paint has been banned in the United States since 1978 so if the toys you buy were made by toy companies that produce everything they make in the United States, it stands to reason that they're lead-free.
5. Look around for other lead hazards.Toys with lead paint are not the only things that pose lead poisoning risk to children...check out Disney toddler sunglasses, children's overalls, children's gardening gloves, and many other children's apparel items decorated with lead-based paint.
6. Get your child tested for lead exposure.If you're concerned that your child may have been exposed to lead, ask your child's doctor to test his blood. It's a quick and easy blood draw, done in a lab or the doctor's office. You'll get the results in a few days.
7. Keep abreast of future recalls.Visit the CPSC website often, call the hotline at (800) 638-2772, or subscribe to their alert newsletter. Mattel has its own recall hotline (800) 916-4498 as well.
source: www.babycenter.com, www.mattel.com, www.momsbuzz.com, www.cpsc.gov
MEGA Brands Recalls MagnaMan
Magnetic Action Figures
Ingested Magnets Pose Aspiration and Intestinal Hazards
Hazard: Small magnets inside the figures can detach. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal. Sold at: Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, K-Mart and other toy stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2007 for about $10.
To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08222.html
MEGA Brands Recalls Magtastik and Magnetix Jr. Pre-School Magnetic Toys
Ingested Magnets Pose Aspiration and Intestinal Hazards
Hazard: Magnets in the small flexible parts of the animals, vehicles and building sets can detach. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal. Sold at: Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, K-Mart and other toy stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2007 for between $10 and $40
To see this release on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08223.html
Toy Sundae Sets Sold at Target
Recalled by Battat Inc. Due to Choking Hazard
The recalled wooden sundae set toy includes six wooden scoops of ice cream, three cherries that attach to the top of the ice cream scoops, banana slices, a spoon and bowl. The ice cream scoops are green, pink, brown, yellow and purple. The sundae set pieces attach to each other with Velcro. The wooden cherries on top of the toy sundae pose a choking hazard to young children. Model number DPCI-204-12-0526 is included in this recall and is located on the packaging. Sold exclusively at: Target Stores nationwide from December 2006 through December 2007 for about $10.
To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08220.html
Magnetic Dart Boards
Sold at Family Dollar Ingested Magnets Pose Aspiration and Intestinal Hazards
FUN 'N SAFE Magnetic Dart Boards. Small magnets at the ends of the darts can detach. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal. The magnetic dart board is about 15 inches wide with a black, white, green, and red bulls eye checkered design and was sold with six 4-inch long magnetic darts. The darts magnetically adhere to the dart board when thrown. "Made in China" is embossed on the back of the board.
Sold Exclusively at: Family Dollar stores nationwide from January 2001 through January 2008 for about $5.
To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including a picture of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08201.html
Ellaroo Recalls Infant Sling Carriers
Due to Fall Hazard
This recall includes Ellaroo Ring Sling baby carriers with item numbers 2101 and 2102 printed on the outside of the product box. The Ellaroo Ring Sling has a fabric carrier with two aluminum rings that is worn by the user to carry an infant up to 35 pounds. The carriers are sold in mahogany, mango stone, brasilia and malay color prints. Only sling carriers with lot numbers 03/07 and 07/04 printed on a label, under the size label, inside the Ring Sling are included in the recall.
Sold at:Juvenile product and department stores nationwide and online, including BabiesRUs.com, from June 2007 through February 2008 for about $100.
To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08215.html