The Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group wants parents to understand just how dangerous certain toys might be, and to that end, a press conference was recently held at a daycare center in Dartmouth.
The press conference was called to relate some of the ideas found in the group’s 27th annual report on the dangers of common toys. The Trouble in Toyland Report this year placed a particular emphasis on the danger posed by small parts readily found in many items. A representative from the advocacy program stated that 50 young kids were killed because of an incident linked to a small toy between 2005 and 2011.
For parents intent on making sure that such tragedy doesn’t befall their children, the group advises checking to see that every toy purchased is too big to fit inside a standard toilet paper tube. If the toy fits, or if it has detachable parts that fit, opt for some other item. Parents should also be concerned about toxic elements that might be prevalent in certain products.
When it comes to hearing, parents also need to make sure their child’s ears aren’t being overloaded. The press conference related a directive from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders which advised against 85-plus decibel noises in the vicinity of a kid’s ear.