With the holiday shopping season in full swing, authorities are warning of potentially dangerous toys.
The consumer group Public Interest Research Group just released its annual "Trouble in Toyland" report and is encouraging parents to choose their children's toys carefully.
"There are still products out there that fail to meet these safety standards and some standards need to be made even stronger," explained Sean Doyle, of ConnPIRG, during a news conference at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center.
PIRG said some of the toys tested contain toxic chemicals that exceed federal standards. Others have parts small enough to pose a choking risk, the group said.
"Everybody has a small parts tester at home, which is your toilet roll, and if it fits inside here then your toddler 4 and under can choke on that," said Dr. Scott Schoem, an ear, nose and throat doctor at Connecticut Children's.
The PIRG report also shows that magnets and small batteries pose a threat to kids, and Schoem said even your car remote can be an issue.
"You can easily get to the battery inside, and if that gets lodged in your esophagus, then you can burn a hole in the esophagus and cause permanent injury or death," said Schoem.
In response to the PIRG report, the Toy Industry Association is questioning the group's testing methods and claims.
"First and foremost, parents can be assured this holiday season that all toys sold on U.S. store shelves need to be compliant with very strict U.S. product safety standards and need to be tested to show compliance. Year after year, PIRG releases these reports and they’re misleading, they’re inaccurate and they unnecessarily alarm parents," said Rebecca Mond with the Toy Industry Association.
PIRG is also warning parents about noise levels in some toys. The group feels that some toys that comply with federal decibel standards are still too loud and could potentially cause hearing loss in children.
PIRG is pushing to get those federal noise standards changed.
