The Toy Story
By Navneet Mendiratta 


Just when you thought that those ‘non-toxic’ toys for children were absolutely safe, the European parliament recently endorsed a ban on six phthalate softeners used in children's toys and other childcare products. 

Phthalates are a family of chemicals generally used to make vinyl plastics more flexible and, according to the commission, phthalates released when children put certain products in their mouths are dangerous and may lead to liver, kidney, and testicular damage. 

Though scientific research has produced contradictory findings on diisononyl phthalate, diisodecyl phthalate and di-n-octylphthalate, the EU (European Union) lawmakers argued that a precautionary ban should be applied. The ban affects a broad range of products made within the 25-member EU and imported from places such as China. 

This once again brings into focus safety concerns about plastic products despite assurances (often backed by studies) by the various toy and plastic manufacturing companies who promise a formula that makes their product more child-friendly and safe. 

Ask a doctor and the alarm in his/her voice is good enough to send any concerned parent scurrying to clear the house of anything that is visibly plastic. ‘For one, plastic is not visible through x-ray and it takes a bronchoscopy to figure a foreign body out in the infant’s lungs,’ says Dr Anjali Mathur senior consultant and neonatologist, Moolchand Hospital, Delhi. There have been cases where an infant choked to death over a small plastic toy before the parents or doctors could establish the cause.

‘Forget toy parts, unlike in the US where all plastic bags carry a mandatory statutory warning, no such rule is followed in India. And more often than not we find plastic bags floating around in the house. In case a child puts one accidentally over his head it could lead to smothering,’ says Dr Mathur. And if put in the mouth, the bag can get stuck in the trachea and choke the baby.

Strings, cords, necklaces, and other items tied around the neck are some of the other things that can strangle infants. Most of the deaths involved pacifiers tied around the child's neck.

Cheap plastic toys are some of the other items that should be kept out of the reach of curious infants. A watchful eye and some caution can go a long way in preventing a mishap.