Reports Offer Guidance on Toy Safety

The Illinois Public Interest Research Group is urging parents to be informed as they buy toys for their children this holiday season. The organization released its 25th Trouble In Toyland report this week.

Emily Mueller of Illinois PIRG said the report uses multiple factors to identify harmful toys.

"These are toys that either we've identified as a choking hazard --- while they may meet the legal limit, children are still chocking on them that's very dangerous," Mueller said. "Also there are toys that contain lead and phthalates which are all toxic chemicals that can have adverse health effects on children."

Dr. John Haffner is with the Children's Hospital Of Illinois, housed at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. He said parents should use common sense when buying toys this season.

"And if they look like they're maybe going to break very easily, and they might have a lot of small parts, those are something that's not suitable for small children," Haffner said. "If it looks like a discount toy or a "no-name" toy, be careful with those, because those have been linked with more reports of lead paint and shoddy workmanship".

Illinois PIRG said people can access the Trouble in Toyland report on its Web site. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan also released her 2010 Play-It-Safe shopping guide that lists toys, cribs and other products recalled this year. The guide is available at the attorney general's Web site. Madigan also said people can register for automatic e-mail notifications for recalled products at cpsc.gov.