Playtime precaution

Safety experts are reminding parents to take a closer look at the toys they buy for their children as Christmas approaches.

Parents walking through bargain stores might be tempted to buy lower quality toys for less than $5, rather than shell out for pricier playthings. However, officials of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and consumer watchdog organizations encourage parents to exercise caution and common sense in the purchase of toys to avoid injuries and even poisoning.

Chinese manufacturers have been at the center of product quality scandals for the last several years.

"A lot of the inexpensive toys are from China," said Rick Garcia, a McAllen lawyer who Friday showed off some easily broken or dangerous toys, most of them manufactured in China, as well as many that had tested positive for lead content.

In 2007, the federal safety commission had a total of 138 toy recalls. Ninety-seven of those were related to lead issues with paint or other materials.

"Maybe you buy fewer toys," suggested Janice Godwin, director of the Children's Environmental Health Institute, an Austin organization working to protect children from adverse health effects due to exposure to hazardous environmental substances.

"Parents should be especially careful with any toys that are manufactured in China," Godwin warned.

Even name-brand products have been shown to have unsafe levels of lead in them, she said, including a carrying case for the Leapster learning game system and an Elmo card game carrier that is still available on the Web despite a recall.

But cheaper toys carry an additional danger in that they may be less sturdy and easier to break into sharp pieces or fragments that can be easily swallowed.

The most recent safety commission figures show that in 2007 there were 18 toy-related child deaths and 232,900 injuries. Of the 18 deaths, seven were related to airway obstruction or suffocation.

To test the safety of bargain toys available in Brownsville's downtown area, The Brownsville Herald purchased toys from various stores to determine how easily they could be broken into small parts and swallowed, while The Monitor used a common lead testing kit to test the paint on discount toys.

Nearly all the toys were purchased for under $3. All were inexpensive reproductions of name-brand toys.

The toys broke or fell apart with a minimal amount of pressure, leaving small parts or even sharp pieces that could puncture the skin.

Most of the toys purchased at L.A. Imports on South Main Street in McAllen did not test positive for significant levels of lead.

But one, a Dora the Explorer case made of purple vinyl, did, turning a swab handed out by the Children's Environmental Health Institute a bright pink - the same color produced by a swab of an antique lead statue.

Lead is most dangerous when ingested; in children, it can cause developmental delays or illness.

The Lead Check swabs are available for free at Garcia & Karam, a McAllen law firm at 820 S. Main St., for parents who want to test their children's toys.

Some manufacturers use lead as a cheap way to make dyes and paints brighter, Godwin said.

Adelina Pruneda, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, encourages parents to go the extra mile for safety and purchase toys from reputable retailers and avoid counterfeit and low-quality toys.

"We encourage parents to think twice," Pruneda said. "If something doesn't look right or feels flimsy, it's best to avoid that item."

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Ildefonso Ortiz is a reporter for The Brownsville Herald. Sara Perkins covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4472.