Toy Safety & Recalls

Maclaren USA is recalling approximately one million strollers that have been sold in the United States since 1999.  There have been over a dozen reports of children's fingers being amputated when caught in the stroller's hinges.  The incidents occurred while the strollers were being opened or closed, not while the children were seated in the strollers.

Maclaren announced a voluntary recall with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Monday.  Consumers should immediately stop using the strollers, which were made in China. The recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers sold in the United States since 1999.

Maclaren is offering consumers a free repair kit.  Models included in the recall include Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveler. The strollers were sold at stores including Babies "R" Us and Target.

Consumers should contact Maclaren at (877) 688-2326 or go to their web site www.maclaren.us/recall

It has just been brought to our attention that some children's face paints contain lead, which is a neurotoxin that can harm the brain at low doses.  So, the face is the last place you would want to be applying this stuff ... and certainly not on our children!  This info comes from a report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a national coalition of nonprofit health and environmental groups.

In some of the paints tested, the lab identified the heavy metals nickel, cobalt and chromium, which are skin allergens, even in products labeled "non-toxic" and "hypoallergenic."  Since these metals are not listed on product labels, parents shopping for Halloween makeup have no way of knowing which products are safe. The only way to know if a cosmetic product contains lead or other heavy metals is to test the product at a laboratory, which the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics did for their report.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent 10 children's face paints to an independent lab to test for heavy metals.

The lab test results found:

We are very excited to let you know about a site we just discovered called Healthy Stuff.  It's a site that gives you immediate access to research done on Children's products and Toys, including car seats.  The site is extremely easy to use and the information is presented in a simple coding system with graphics even a child could understand.  It shows which products contain lead, arsenic, cadmium, chlorine, mercury and bromine and to what degree it is present in that product.

At HealthyStuff.org you can search by product, by brand or level of concern, for example, your concern of lead in a product. There's even a spot to "tweet" the results you've found so you can quickly share the info with your contacts and friends.

It is certainly no wonder that so many developmental problems are increasing in children and that cancer is a constant threat.  But with this website, we all can benefit by choosing products and toys for our children and grandchildren that we know have the least amount of toxic chemicals.  Please be sure to spread this info on to friends and family. HealthyStuff.org

If your kids got a Fisher-Price Kid-Tough digital camera for Christmas, be sure your anti-virus software is up to date. Apparently some, but not all, of the Fisher-Price cameras can pass on a computer virus when you go to download your child's photos.

This was a big year for kids digital cameras, so if you or someone you know bought this camera as a gift, be sure to pass this information on. No one would suspect to find a virus on a kid's camera, but hey, those hackers seem to find a way into your computer one way or another.

Although Congress passed new laws that go into effect February 10, 2009, that make selling toys with chemicals called phthalates illegal, manufacturers are rushing to dispose of their current inventories.  So, unfortunately, buyers will have to be especially careful this holiday season when choosing toys for their children.  These toys are expected to be well discounted, making them even more attractive to unsuspecting buyers.

There are mixed views as to whether these chemicals are indeed harmful to children, but it should be noted that the European Union has banned the use of these chemicals in childrens products and toys since 2005.  Sadly, the United States is not as vigilant in this regard and the question remains as to how well the toys and children's products being produced and sold in the U.S. after February will be inspected.

There is, obviously, a lot to be said for purchasing wooden toys and toys made from materials other than plastic.

Read the entire article from the Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB122472242723860917-lMyQjAxMDI4MjI0MzcyMjMyWj.html