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Safe Toys this Holiday Season!



Many Toys Contain Dangerous Chemicals


Tests on 1,200 children’s items revealed that more than one-third contained lead and other potentially dangerous chemicals such as mercury, cadmium and arsenic.

The study, directed by the Environmental Health Project of the Ecology Center in Michigan, also found that jewelry products were the most likely to contain high levels of lead.  Which I am glad I learned about as my daughter often times trys to put my necklaces in her mouth while I am holding her.  Other items, such as bedroom slippers, bath toys and card-game cases were also tainted, some with as much as five times the standard safety level of lead. The light up shoes are made with mercury, so those may not be the best option for our little ones.
As we all remember, millions of toys, most of them made in China, have already been recalled in 2007.

Lead is supposedly banned for use in U.S. products marketed to children in 1978, but that doesn’t stop U.S. companies from importing lead-laced toys and selling them with fervor. Up to 80 percent of toys sold in the United States are manufactured in China.  So again use your money as your vote.  Support companies that share your values and that offer products that are safe and non-toxic.

There is a loophole in the ban that still allows lead to legally exist in your child’s toys -- even those made here in the United States -- and that is plastic.  Choosing plastics that are BPA free are a safer choice.  The use of lead in plastics has not been banned. Children's jelwery often tests high for lead, so be weary of plastic jelwery.  I personally buy wood toys as much as possilbe and limit costume jelwery for my dauther.

As children are well known for putting anything and everything into their mouths, their toys simply must be pure. Children are more susceptible to lead absorption than adults, and even low levels of lead exposure have been linked to:
  • Decreased intelligence
  • Impaired neurobehavioral development
  • Decreased stature and growth
  • Impaired hearing acuity 
Other chemicals that may be lurking in children's toys and accesories are:
  • Mercury: A known neurotoxin that can harm your child’s developing brain.
  • Cadmium: A known carcinogenic. Long-term exposure to low levels of cadmium can contribute to kidney disease, lung damage and fragile bones, and animal studies also suggest that it may lead to liver disease, high blood pressure, and nerve or brain damage.
  • Arsenic: Long-term exposure to arsenic has been linked to cancer. Exposure to low levels of arsenic can cause nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels, and a sensation of "pins and needles" in hands and feet, and over the long term can cause darkening of the skin and the appearance of small "corns" or "warts" on the palms, soles, and torso.
  • Phthalates: Used in soft plastic toys and baby bottles, these chemicals can mimic or block sex hormones, causing disruption of your endocrine system and early puberty.
How to Find Safe Toys for Your Kids

The good thing about all of the media attention on this issue is that many parents are becoming very choosy about the toys they buy.  Secondly, more companies are trying to reap the financial benefit of this zest for safe toys so there are more options and places to buy these safer options.  This holiday season when you are looking for toys to buy as gifts, keep some of these tips in mind:
  • Seek out toy-making companies that still maintain quality and safety in their products. Be sure to ask questions about their toys, such as what types of chemicals are used in their production.
  • Look for organic and “green” environmentally friendly toys that use beeswax-based coatings, natural vegetable dyes and organic, chemical-free fabrics and materials (such as wool, cotton and bamboo).
  • Support companies that use third-party testing of their products for lead and other heavy metals.
  • Toys that are painted should always be labeled as having “lead-free paint,” but still avoid buying painted toys made outside of the United States or Europe.
  • Get creative. Books, sports equipment, music, and even cardboard boxes that can be turned into forts make great, safe alternatives to traditional “toys.
We may not be able to control what countries or every company does, but we can control where we spend our money!
Published Oct 11 2009, 11:47 PM by HappyHealthyMommy
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About HappyHealthyMommy

Terri Murray is a happy and thankful Mommy to 3 young children. While the fascination with the science behind good health began in childhood, the emotional reasons for living and attaining the healthiest life possible was finally grasped after becoming a mom. Terri holds her B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Pre-Med from The University of Georgia. She has worked in Genetic Research, Non-Profit Consulting, and most recently as a entrepreneur in the Health and Wellness Industry. Through her work with Juice Plus+ (www.makingpeoplehealthy.com) she travels around the world educating families on the importance of proper nutrition. She also founded Boutique Organic, an online boutique that offers all organic clothing and safe toys for babies and toddlers. Devoted to the mission of helping parents raise the healthiest children possible, Terri and her brother, Dr. Ryan Pond, launched the blog, www.thedoctorandamom.com to continue to reach parents and help provide answers and solutions to parenting questions related to nutrition.
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