With the recent rash of toy recalls, most parents must be wondering what is exactly safe to buy for their children. Don’t assume that any toy made outside of the United States isn’t safe. It’s not that simple. Many of the component parts of U.S.-made toys are actually manufactured in other countries. Many toys are also made inside and outside the U.S. with the strictest safety guidelines in place to protect children. So how do we buy the safest toys for our children?

Facts about toys

Toy recalls account for about 1 percent of the 3 billion toys sold in the U.S. each year. The U.S. imports 86 percent of the toys sold in the U.S. from China. This staggering number only shows a small part of the picture. Who produces the other 14 percent of imported toys? India and South Korea top the list after China. According to a recent study by Canadian researchers, countries other than China had a higher rate of toy recall.

U.S. toy companies contract the toy component assembly and construction to other countries. In fact, the U.S. company is responsible for quality control and correctly meeting safety standards. Many injuries could be prevented if companies chose to do quality control before placing their products on store shelves.

The truth about toy injuries

Protections are already in place to prevent lead paint in toys. U.S. law prohibits the use of lead in the paint and surface coatings of any toys sold in the U.S. However, lead paint is not the primary cause of toy injuries. In toy recalls from 1988 to the present, 77 percent involved design-related defects. Design defects include small beads or detachable parts that can cause choking or strings that cause strangulation. Injuries from toys usually involve choking on small parts, ingesting detached magnets, and falling from rides-on toys. Despite the media frenzy about lead paint, toy recalls involving design flaws are far more risky to our children.

Independent labs frequently find problems with toys well before manufacturers. This sobering fact points to the very complaint that many parents have in the first place. Companies usually don’t test toys before placing them on the market. In an effort to reassure parents, toy companies are now putting their own quality testing specifications on their web sites. Many companies are performing reassurance testing on existing toys for quality control. Product safety and quality assessment should be the foremost concern for every toy manufacturer.

How to avoid bad purchases

Parents have some options. We can buy U.S.-made toys with the complete understanding that some or all of these toys might be manufactured outside the country. Many U.S. toy companies provide toy recall information directly on their web sites. One toy retailer actually provides a country of origin list for every toy it sells. Parents can also keep up to date with information provided from the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). The commission’s recall alerts and a searchable recall database are available at CPSC.gov . Visit Toyinfo.org for extensive information on toy recalls and answers to toy safety questions.

Proactive parents

Parents need to be vigilant. Toys should be age-appropriate and used in a safe environment under supervision. Periodically, all toys should be checked for breakage and wear. When purchasing new toys, parents need to read labels carefully for correct assembly and use instructions. If toys fall apart, contact the manufacturer directly for a replacement. By working together with the toy industry, we can provide the safest toys for our children.

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Your baby will cut 20 teeth over the next few years. These include four front incisors, with four additional side incisors for cutting. Four back molars will appear to aid in chewing. Next, the pointed canine teeth will erupt, and finally, four back molars will break through. Twenty teeth spell a lot of discomfort for your child.

Signs of teething

Most babies begin cutting teeth before 6 months, although some wait as long as a year. Remember, your child will cut teeth at his own speed. The first sign of teething is excessive drooling. Peek inside your baby’s mouth and check for swollen gums. Your baby might chew on his fingers, hands, and toys in an attempt to alleviate the pain. Looser bowel movements, poor appetite, and rejecting the bottle are also signs of teething. No, you can’t hide under the bed. It’s time to find a way to help with your child’s teething nightmare.

Tricks from seasoned moms

Finding the trick to help your baby’s pain might take some trial and error. Get those cute little bibs and arm yourself with soft burping cloths to wipe baby’s chin. If a rash develops, gently clean with warm water, dry thoroughly and apply some petroleum jelly to protect from chafing. It’s almost a guarantee that the method you find to soothe your baby will be as unique as your child is. Be patient.

Cold washcloth : Freeze or refrigerate a wet washcloth and allow your baby to gnaw on it. The textured surface provides just enough abrasion to ease baby’s gum pain. Try twisting an ice cube inside the cloth and let baby go to town!

Mommy’s finger : With clean hands, press and rub on baby’s gums. You just might find baby likes this best, especially because he gets a sweet snuggle in the process.

New toothbrush : Use a baby toothbrush to gently rub your child’s gums. Never let baby hold the brush as he could easily choke himself.

Cooler foods : Some babies find warmed baby food uncomfortable when teething. Try cool applesauce or freeze bananas and cut them to baby-sized bites. Some mothers swear by frozen peas, for both pain reduction and entertainment value for a baby. Try cool water in baby’s bottle.

Teething biscuits : Dissolving biscuits are a good way to let baby go to town while your rush through your dinner.

Cold spoons : Put a metal spoon in the freezer. Bend the handle before giving it to your baby.

Distraction : Redirecting your baby’s attention away from his discomfort with an interesting toy or playtime with Mommy’s undivided attention might help him forget his sore mouth for a while.

Teething rings : Fashioned from hard plastic, these toys are easy for little fingers to grasp. Some rings can be placed in the refrigerator to cool them to ease discomfort but should never be frozen.

Pain relievers, gels and pills

Some parents choose to use Baby Tylenol to ease baby’s teething discomfort. Make sure you administer the correct dose for your child based on your pediatrician’s recommendations. Teething gels are another option, although some babies don’t like the taste. Some parents swear by homeopathic teething pills. Again, use your best judgment based on the advice of your physician when considering over-the-counter medications for your baby.