Toy Safety: Interview with Sheliah Gilliland

As newspaper headlines and TV stations continue to scream about toy recalls, parents are becoming more and more concerned about the toys they purchase for their children. For many parents, a sense of false security has existed for decades.

How safe are your child's toys?

Sheliah Gilliland, the Director of Public Relations at eToys, Inc. took the time to give us some tips and advice on toy safety, including how to find information on toy recalls and what to do if your child's toy has been recalled. The company offers thousands of toys, custom dolls, video games and baby products to online and catalog shoppers through its popular Web sites and its strategic retail partnerships. The company owns eToys and the My Twinn doll company and operates KBtoys.com under a long-term licensing agreement. Based in Denver, they provide a toy and video game solution to its online and catalog partners, supplying category management, full-featured content, inventory control, order fulfillment and customer support.

While concerns about lead paint continue to make headlines, the biggest safety concern is a possible choking hazard posed by a toy with small parts. In the eToys Safety Center, we explain the importance of the manufacturer's age range when choosing toys.

Age recommendations on toy packages measure the safety of a toy - not your child's intelligence quotient. They are based on four different aspects of the toy:

1. Any potential choking hazards and the toy's safety - choking is a particular concern for kids ages 3 and under
2. A child's physical ability to play with the toy
3. A child's ability to understand how to correctly play with the toy
4. General developmental needs of a particular age group

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, toys sold in the U.S. are the safest in the world. Because of the recent recalls, many manufacturers are going back and re-testing their products. It's important that manufacturers use a certified fully independent third party to test their toys.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offers a complete listing. If you shop at an online retailer like eToys, we will notify you of a recall by e-mail. You can also find complete information about past recalls on eToys Safety Center.

Take the Baby Toys toy away from your child immediately and follow the manufacturer's instructions. For younger children, diverting their attention might do the trick. We recommend getting older children involved, especially if it's a beloved toy. Explain the situation clearly and help her understand why it's important to her safety to say good-bye to the toy. Let her participate in sending the toy back to the manufacturer, so she can feel like an active part of the process. Think about a potential replacement toy. Or better yet, look forward to a free replacement from the manufacturer if it's a part of the recall procedure.

Make sure siblings of different ages play with their own toys. Be sure to supervise your child's play, or better yet, join in the fun!

For more information regarding toy safety, visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site. The site offers detailed criteria on toy recalls, toy safety concerns, and more.

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