Toy Safety

Young children may be exposed to lead -- a well known health hazard -- in many ways. Toys that have been made in other countries and then imported into

the U.S. or antique toys and collectibles passed down through generations put children at risk for lead exposure. To reduce these risks, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues toy recalls. Check the photos and descriptions of CPSC recalls of toys that could potentially expose children

to lead.

The CPSC asks that parents check their children's toys and remove the recalled toys immediately. Contact your health care provider if you suspect that your

child may have played with toys containing lead or been exposed to lead in other ways.

You want to surround your baby with toys that both delight and encourage baby's learning. Grandparents, uncles, aunts and friends often enjoy giving toys as gifts to celebrate the birth of a new baby. Good toys for babies are ones that encourage engagement, exploration and fun. You can strengthen your relationship with your baby while playing with rattles, stuffed animals or soft books. Toys may enhance the growth of infants and encourage the development of new skills.

You must be alert for safety risks with toys. If you have older children in your family, you must take special care to teach them not to share their toys with the baby and keep unsafe toys away from a crawling infant.

Common Toy Risks

The most common toy hazards: Toys with small parts are serious choking hazards for infants. Small parts include eyes on stuffed animals, bells, buttons and other decorative items.

Infants become easily entangled in toys with strings, cords or ribbons of any kind and strangulation is a serious risk. Parents should be especially careful of toys with strings, cords or ribbons placed in a crib with an infant.

Balloons are the leading cause of suffocation in young children and uninflated balloons or pieces are equally dangerous. Because infants bring toys to their mouths, parents need to be aware of the serious risk of uninflated balloons or other materials like balloons, such as dry cleaning bags or plastic wrappings.