While Aquadots grabbed all the news this month, 1,391,800 products were recalled for lead contamination. Most of them were cheap toy jewelry, cars, and action figures. The sort of stuff you see at “dollar stores.”
someone think of the children
Toys R Us Tries To Reassure You After Year Of Recalls
By 11.16.07
Toys R Us has written a reassuring letter to its customers outlining its toy safety policies and threatening to discontinue selling products from any company that ignores them. Since Toys R Us still sells Mattel toys and Thomas & Friends wooden train sets, it’s hard to imagine a company that wouldn’t make the cut.
Popular Australian Toy Filled With GHB
By 11.6.07
A toy that won the Australian Toy of the Year award this year has been recalled because it contains small beads that are filled a glue the body metabolizes into GHB. As in gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid, a party drug popular among ravers.
Should Soda Makers Stop Marketing To Kids Under 16?
By 10.29.07
The Center For Science In The Public Interest (CSPI), and the International Association of Consumer Food Organizations (IACFO). have joined together to start the “Global Dump Soda” campaign.
Bumbo Baby Seats Recalled After 3 Children Sustain Skull Fractures
By 10.25.07
Here’s some very tense video from Good Morning America.
There Are No Safe And Effective Cold Medicines For Small Children
By 10.23.07
Dr. Benjamin Brewer, who writes “The Doctor’s Office” column in the Wall Street Journal, addresses the issue of giving cough and cold medicines to children.
By 10.12.07
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NBC Augusta reports: “It only takes a matter of seconds before a happy Halloween can turn deadly.” They’re concerned that your child’s costume is going to catch fire, so they “went shopping for answers.” With video.[NBC Augusta]
14 Children's Cold Meds Withdrawn From the Market
By 10.11.07
Johnson & Johnson today recalled several infant cough and cold medicines, citing “rare instances of misuse leading to overdose, particularly in infants under two years of age.”
Money Lessons For Your Kids
By 10.2.07
If you have kids and aren’t teaching them about money, you’re setting them up to be one of those clueless college kids with a free burrito and $12,000 in credit card debt. Don’t do it!
By 9.28.07
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Are “sports drinks” really just junk food? Should they be removed from vending machines in schools? “One analysis determined that kids who drink a 20-ounce Gatorade each day could gain 13 extra pounds over the course of a year.” A debate in congress rages on.[CalorieLab]
Did The Chicago Tribune Embarrass The CPSC Into Recalling A Million Cribs?
By 9.25.07
Photographs taken of Liam Johns’ crib by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office clearly show where it came apart.
Annoyed With Toy Companies Trying To Poison Your Kids? Make Your Own Toys.
By 8.31.07
Craft magazine has put together a round-up of safe toys that you can make for your kids. The downside is that you have to stop being lazy and learn to do something yourself. (Awful, we know.) The upside is that unless you’re buying the cloth from New Zealand, the odds of you poisoning your own child are low.
Over 10,000,000 Items Recalled For Lead Contamination In 2007
By 8.30.07
With the recall of some Thomas & Friends and Sponge Bob toys on August 22, the total number of products recalled due to lead contamination in 2007 reached 10,020,300, according to data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. None of the items were manufactured in the US, so the recall responsibility and cost falls squarely on the shoulders of the US importers. We took at look back at 2007’s lead recalls to try to understand the scope of the problem.
Offended Mother Says Fisher-Price Piano Says "F— Me, Rape Me."
By 8.20.07
There are lots of moms out there who have filthy, filthy minds. They buy toys that make noise for their children, then become convinced that there are secret offensive messages in the toys.
Avoid Hazardous Supplies When Back-To-School Shopping
By 8.20.07
If you’re back-to-school shopping for your kids, here are a few guidelines for what to buy—and what not to buy, as well as some tips for inspecting the local playground and soccer field:
FDA Says No Cough Syrup For Toddlers Without Doctor Approval
By 8.17.07
“Questions have been raised about the safety of these products and whether the benefits justify any potential risks from the use of these products in children, especially in children under 2 years of age,” the agency said.
Consumer Reports Advises Families With Small Children To Avoid Magnet Toys
By 8.16.07
Consumer Reports is advising families with small children to stay away from magnet toys and products for adults that have small, strong magnets.
Mattel Recalls Over 7 Million Chinese-Made Toys For Lead Paint, Magnets
By 8.14.07
Today Mattel expanded their lead paint recall to include 253,000 die cast “Cars” toys. In addition, Mattel expended a 2006 magnetic toy recall to include about 7 million other toys.
