Do you ever wonder about the toys you purchase for your children?  Exactly what is in that plastic toy?

The Ecology Center, a non-profit group based in Michigan in the United States, tested numerous toys on the shelves in the United States and found that 1/3 of the toys tested contained lead, arsenic, and other chemicals.  They also found that there was no correlation between where the toys were made and the prices of the toys and the amounts of chemicals found in those toys.  For example, toys made in the United States had just as much chemicals as toys made in China. Expensive toys had just as many chemicals as inexpensive toys.

I admit, since the recall of many toys made in China last year due to high lead levels, I thought that I’d be safe if I just avoided Chinese toys.  It was a bit disheartening to find out that despite my efforts (it’s not that easy to find toys made outside of China), my children may still be playing with toxic toys.

According to the group, infant bath toys and books were especially full of chemicals.  I had planned on buying my son some tub toys for Christmas, but I may hold off.  New laws go into effect in February in the United States which ban certain plasticizers in toys.  These chemicals make the plastic more flexible and are used in making vinyl books and tub toys.  As my son puts almost everything in his mouth at this stage, it concerns me that he might actually be ingesting some toxic chemicals from his toys.

What is a concerned parent to do?  This year, I’m doing a bit more research online before I decide on what toys to purchase for my son.  I’m also researching natural toys—toys made without chemicals or toxins.

Are you worried about toxins that are in toys?  What steps are you taking to protect your children?

ImagiPLAY Recalls Bead Maze Toys Due to Laceration Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Bead Maze Toys

Units: About 500

Importer: ImagiPLAY, of Boulder, Colo.

Hazard: The trees on the toys can detach, exposing a metal screw. This poses a laceration hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled products are painted wooden toys with beads that slide on a curved metal track. The product was sold in three styles: the Apple Tree Bead Maze, the Cactus Tree Bead Maze and the Palm Tree Bead Maze.

Sold by: Toy retailers nationwide from August 2008 through October 2008 for about $13.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and return them to the retail store where purchased for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact ImagiPLAY at (800) 882-0217 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm?s Web site at www.ImagiPLAY.com (pdf).

Safe haven laws are good ideas?and I support the concept. Sometimes though, even a good idea can go horribly wrong.

Perhaps you have never heard the concept of ?safe haven laws?. These are laws passed by states in the United States to prevent the abandonment of infants. The idea is that a mother can anonymously turn her child in at a hospital, fire house or police station after birth and avoid a penalty or prosecution. The child is safe, and the mom is safe too. It?s a ?simple? concept, but the wording of some of the laws is where it all goes downhill.

In Pennsylvania for example, a young mother called a fire station after placing her infant at the door. In that state though, it?s only legal to anonymously turn you child in at a hospital. I simply could not believe the news story which announced that the police were asking for leads on the identity of the child?s mother. I mean, what is the goal here? Eventually they did find the mother, but I haven?t heard if they made the decision to prosecute her as they technically can do so under that version of the safe haven law.

Another poorly worded safe haven law has received much media attention recently. In Nebraska, a safe haven law was passed recently which allows parents to abandon their child at a hospital without any penalty. This law never specified an age limit for the abandoned child though. Parents have been driving from out of state to abandon their teenagers at Nebraska hospitals because it is legal to do so. In the few months that the law has been in effect, 35 children have been left at hospitals by their parents.

Some claim that this is a sign of how many parents have nowhere to turn when a teen is out of control. Some of the parents have said that they have had no other choice but to use this option because they ?had no where to turn.?

Do you think that there is a failure of social services and communities to provide resources to parents who are dealing with difficult situations with their children? Do you feel that safe haven laws are a good idea?