I was getting my morning news from NPR today and was sad to see that another toy recall has been posted. I have received at least one recall notification per week regarding toys that have been manufactured in China over the past several months. So my husband and I vowed a few weeks ago to not buy any more “cheap plastic toys” made in China because we feel it’s just not worth the risk. Well, guess what? It’s not just plastic toys now.
The lastest recall is for the Thomas and Friends wooden railway toys. I have recently assumed that wooden toys are safer than plastic toys but this recall has me wondering. The problem is that the paint used on the toys has unsafe levels of lead….and NPR says that a consumer watchdog estimates that 20% of baby clothing and toys from China are substandard.
High levels of lead can cause affect almost every body system in a developing child and some of the most worrisome systems involve the brain and central nervous system. A child with overexposure may have lower IQ, slower reflexes, headaches, learning disabilities, hyperactivity, or even seizures. As a parent this is terrifying and as a consumer it is unacceptable.
So what is the solution? I know that I have been looking at labels when buying products for my baby and my home more now than ever. Do I put it back on the shelf when it says “made in china”? More than likely! But US toy companies are also responsible for “design flaws” for which they (Mattel) have apologized to China. I would like to see more government regulation and testing of toys coming into the United States.
Until then, my son is stuck playing with homemade wool balls and wooden blocks his daddy made.
