Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on Americas store shelves, the Texas Public Interest Research Group (TexPIRG) announced in its 24th annual Trouble in Toyland report. According to the most recent data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, toy-related injuries sent more than 82,000 children under the age of five to emergency rooms in 2008. Nineteen children died from toy-related injuries that year.

The 2009 report focuses on three categories of toy hazards: toys that may pose choking hazards, toys that are excessively loud, and toys that contain toxic chemicals such as lead and phthalates. Central Texas families are not immune to the risks.

This time of year, many children are asking for toys that are not in their best interest when it comes to safety, said Dr. Pat Crocker, Chief of Emergency Medicine, Dell Childrens Medical Center of Central Texas. There are hundreds of toys on the market that contain small and sharp parts that could cause choking or other severe injuries. Other toys could contain poison such as lead, which could cause long-term complications, both mentally and physically.

Choking, Exposure to Lead Still Risks

TexPIRG noted that some progress has been made on toy safety in the past year, thanks to a new law overhauling the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The findings in this years Trouble in Toyland highlight the need for continued improvement in order to protect children:

Despite a ban on small parts in toys for children under three, there are still toys available that pose serious choking hazards. Between 1990 and 2008, at least 196 children died after choking or asphyxiating on a toy or toy part; three died in 2008 alone.

"Toys with small parts and balloons pose a major choking risk," continues Dr. Crocker. The best protection is a vigilant parent, both through looking for safe toys while shopping and reporting unsafe ones. Toys such as balloons can seem benign on the surface, but when kids have balloons in their mouth that pop or put popped balloon in their mouths, they suck them into their airways." He recommends all families should learn basic CPR and Heimlich maneuvers as a precaution.

Lead toxicity is still a big concern. "Lead is a chronic form of poising and accumulates in the body, damaging various organs," adds Dr. Crocker. "The brain and reproductive organs are prime targets. Current risk comes from costume jewelry, especially if it is important. China still exports some of these dangerous substances. Little girls often suck on their necklaces and they can also choke on the necklace if they swallow it."

Other TexPirg-identified risks include:

• Some toys tested exceeded 85 decibels sound level, which is the volume threshold established under American Society for Testing and Materials standards. Almost 15 percent of children aged 6 to 17 show signs of hearing loss.
  
  
• Earlier this year, toys and other childrens products containing more than 0.1% of phthalates were banned. Still, TexPIRG found childrens products that contained concentrations of phthalates up to 7.2%.
  
  

Shop Smart

With more than 65 percent of the toys purchased in the United States between the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas, parents and caregivers are heading into the countrys busiest toy-buying season. Even with millions of toys being recalled because of dangerous lead paint and other small choking hazards, toy shoppers need to remember that that number is a small fraction of the overall number of toys approximately 3 billion sold in the United States every year.

Shoppers need to be even more informed than usual to make sure they buy safe, age-appropriate toys, said Tareka Wheeler, Safe Kids Austin coordinator. Even though most toys in the U.S. today are considered to be safe, it doesnt mean we should throw caution to the wind.

If consumers discover they have bought a dangerous toy, they can report it to U.S. PIRG and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

For more information

You also can call the Toy Safety Hotline at 1-877-486-9723 to learn more. It provides brochures and information on best selling age-appropriate toys.