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Dangerous Toy Recall

By Jessica Taloney

Published: Tue, August 14, 2007 - 10:37 am Last Updated: Tue, August 14, 2007 - 4:54 pm

Are your kids' toys safe? That's a question many Gulf Coast parents are asking themselves after a major manufacturer announced its second major recall in as many weeks.
Mattel announced the voluntary recall Tuesday, saying nine million of their Chinese-made toys may contain dangerous amounts of lead or tiny magnets that could be swallowed by children.
"Every time you turn around it's a recall," says Daphne Pierce, a mother of two. "It's kinda scary because so many kids buy those toys," said Rachael Speitzer, who has an eleven month old daughter.
The toys pulled from the shelves include one of the toys from the "CARS" die-cast vehicle line and the Sarge toy, as well as magnetic products including 44 Polly Pocket toys, 11 Doggie Day Care toys, 4 Batman toys, 1 One Piece toy, and the accessory part of 2 Barbie toys.
While no one has been injured by the products, a lead specialist quoted by the Associated Press says children who've played with the toys containing lead for more than a month should visit a doctor for a blood test.
"That's something people worried about a while ago," said Speitzer. "You don't think of that stuff now."
Even with this massive recall, at least one local toy shop owner says there are still plenty of safe toys for kids. She says it's all about common sense.
"If you give the right toy to the right age child, it's not normally a dangerous situation," says Ginger Milligan, who owns Fantasy Island Toys in downtown Fairhope. "It's when you give a toy to the wrong age that it's dangerous."
For more information about toy safety, Milligan recommends visiting the Toy Industry Assocation's website. www.toy-tia.org