By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist
The recent news about the fact that toxic toys are still lingering on shelves have many parents in a panic. Just when a collective sigh of relief was heard from parents everywhere knowing tougher toy safety regulations were to be in place, remaining chemical laden toys renewed parental worries right at the peak of the busiest toy shopping season of the year. Here are 7 tips for safe toy shopping:
1. Choose age-appropriate: as a basic rule, be sure the toys you choose are age appropriate to avoid any choking hazards or accidental ingestion of any toy parts.
2. Keep up with recalls: Stay on top of toy recalls by both searching the web and visiting the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CSPS) website for the most up to date toy recall information.
3. Follow the guidelines: follow safety guidelines, also published by the CSPS, such as avoiding toys with small detachable parts for toddlers, putting toys away in safe place, or wearing helmets when necessary.
4. Research and review: the internet can be a valuable resource for holiday shoppers and concerned parents alike. If you have some toy ideas in mind, look for opinions, blogs, or other product reviews on the web before you buy.
5. Seek independence: look for independent views or testing/evaluation provided by a third party company. Consumer Reports is a great resource for this type of information and has a whole section dedicated to babies and children.
6. Go to the source: the best toy manufacturers or even their vendors will provide public statements about lead content and quality assurance testing.
7. Keep a watchful eye: the best way to keep kids safe is to always keep an eye on your children while they are playing. In addition, check their toy supply periodically and discard any toys that are broken, pose a potential injury, or have paint that is chipping off.
译文:
儿童的成长：安全选购玩具的七种方法
由资深的儿童营养专家科林 赫尔利写作。最近的新闻报道有毒玩具在货架上出现，这使得许多家长处在恐慌之中。当各地听说更严格的玩具安全条例将到位时，家长们这才都松了一口气，但恰好在最繁忙的玩具购买季节高峰，剩余的含化学成分的玩具又给家长们增添了一种新的焦虑。以下是安全购买玩具的七种方法：
1.选择与年龄相符的：作为一项基本准则，你要确保你选择的玩具是与孩子年龄相符的，以避免任何窒息的危险或意外吞食玩具部件。
2.随时关注召回：通过搜索网页和访问消费者产品安全委员会网站获取最新的玩具召回信息，保持自己走在玩具召回前沿。
3.按照指导原则：遵循安全准则，还有消费者产品安全委员会发布的条例，如幼儿玩具避免含有可拆卸部件，玩具远放在安全地带，有必要的话请带上头盔。
4.研究和回顾:对于假日购物者，互联网可是一个宝贵的资源库并且关注家长一类人群。如果你头脑中有关于玩具的想法，寻求意见，查找博客或网络上其他产品的评论，然后再购买。
5.寻求独立：寻找独立意见或第三方提供的测试、评估结果。对于这方面的信息，消费者报告是一种很好的资源，它拥有完整的专门针对幼儿和儿童的章节。
6.去到源地：最好的玩具制造商，甚至他们的供应商将给予关于铅含量和质量保证测试的公开声明。
7.密切留意：让孩子安全最好的方法就是在他们玩时始终密切关注你的孩子。此外，定期检查孩子玩具的供应，丢掉那些已经坏掉的玩具，会构成潜在伤害的玩具，还有那些油漆脱落的玩具。