Smoking and postpartum depression: The urge to push followed by the urge to light up? You might be depressed, researchers say. Smoking and depression often go hand-in-hand for new mothers. Studies found a major postpartum depressive episode was 46% higher among smokers, and the prevalence of smoking was 33% higher in those who had depression.

Retro toys are better: Temple University researchers say that old-fashioned simple toys such as building blocks and rubber balls are better than their new-fangled electronic counterparts. Unlike electronic toys which direct play, these toys allow children to use their imagination and problem solve.

A day of doubles: A LaCrosse, Wisconsin OBGYN delivered four sets of twins during a 24-hour call shift over the Thanksgiving weekend. Dr. Kenneth Merkitch said he doesn’t believe he’d even delivered two sets of twins on a single call shift prior to this event. Merkitch also delivered one singleton that day, making for a total of 9 deliveries in 24 hours.

Quaid Twins in Danger: The California Department of Public Health is investigating an accidental overdose that has put the lives of Dennis Quaid’s infant twins at risk. The babies, born November 8th to a surrogate, were given 1,000 times the intended dose of heparin, a blood thinner, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Mr. Quaid’s publicist released the following statement on behalf of the actor and his wife: “Dennis and Kimberly appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers and hope they can maintain their privacy during this difficult time.” (You may recall that a little over a year ago two premature infants died from a similar overdose incident.)

CPSC on Toy Safety: The Consumer Product Safety Commission released its ABC’s of Toy Safety: Awareness Benefits Consumers:

Awareness is not only knowing there is a CPSC and what the agency does to protect consumers but also being aware of what poses the greatest risks. The leading causes of toy-related fatalities include choking and aspiration of toy parts.

The increased scrutiny of toys and the CPSC has led to B, or benefits, to consumers. CPSC has increased the agency’s inspections of toys and is taking the action needed to remove violative products from the marketplace. More companies are testing their products and reporting possible safety problems.

The Chinese government has signed new agreements to conduct pre-export inspections to prevent lead painted toys and other unsafe toys from being exported to the U.S.

“CPSC recalled 61 toys involving more than 25 million product units in 2007, underscoring CPSC’s daily commitment to keeping consumers safe 365 days a year,” said Acting CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord. “Toys today are undergoing more inspection and more intense scrutiny than ever before.”

Finally C, consumers should stay informed and be aware of recalls by signing up to receive direct e-mail notification of recalls at www.cpsc.gov. CPSC has launched a “Drive to 1 Million” to sign up at least 1 million consumers to receive this direct notification.

Consumers can also be more aware by shopping with CPSC’s Top Safe Shopping Tips for this year:

• Ride-on Toys – Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be sized to fit.
• Small Parts – For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.
• Magnets – For children under age six, avoid building sets with small magnets. If magnets or pieces with magnets are swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.
• Projectile Toys – Projectile toys such as air rockets, darts and sling shots are for older children. Improper use of these toys can result in serious eye injuries.
• Chargers and Adapters – Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.

To choose appropriate toys for children:

• Be a label reader. Look for toy labels that give age and safety recommendations and use that information as a guide.
• Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly-secured eyes, noses and other potential small parts.
• For all children under 8, avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.

Once the gifts are open:

• Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys before they become dangerous play things.
• Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings or neighbors.
• Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any device to prevent overcharging.

Amid all the recent toy recalls, the Toy Industry Association, Inc., a trade group representing over 500 companies that are responsible for around 85% domestic toy sales, maintains that toys are for the most part quite safe. For good measure, the group is offering tips to help parents make better toy choices this holiday season.

Buy Smart:

• Check age grading and all toy packaging labels to make sure the toy is appropriate for your child
• Avoid toys with small parts for children under age 3 or children who mouth toys
• Look for toys with sturdy parts and tightly secured joints
• Shop at a reputable retailer, one you know and trust
• Inspect the condition of second-hand toys and make sure you have the original packaging and instructions
• Batteries in toys should be firmly attached and not accessible to children
• Listen to toys with noises before purchase to make sure it’s appropriate for your child

Read the Label:

• Labels and instructions on packaging can give excellent guidance for safe purchasing decisions

Organize and Supervise:

• Follow instructions for toy assembly and use
• Supervise children as they play
• Be a good role model and set an example for safe play
• Keep toys with small parts away from children under three and from children who tend to mouth objects
• Avoid all toys with sharp points or rough edges
• Keep toys in an easily accessible storage bin with a removable lid
• Repair or discard broken toys
• Teach older children to keep their toys away from younger siblings.
• Keep a separate toy chest for older children whose toys may contain small parts not suitable for their younger siblings.

Sign up for CPSC e-mail recall alerts.

You can find more resources on the association’s new site for parents.

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Consumers Union (which publishes Consumer Reports) is rolling out a toy safety advocacy project, titled Twelve Safe Days of Shopping, and they needs help. Sign up to receive a book of coupons to give to store personnel while you’re doing your holiday shopping. The coupons encourage stores to keep from stocking unsafe toys and to post recall notices.

They also need volunteers who will agree to hand out information and talk to local media representatives at large outreach events in Boston, NYC, Chicago, Minneapolis, and San Francisco.

If you can help, get in touch with the CU folks ASAP!

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And now for something completely different…our friends at the Sierra Club have their own take on the lead toy story, told by Spacey the Lead Elf:

The part about the single CPSC staffer who is in charge of testing toys for safety is hard to fathom, but apparently true.

Posted by MommaSteph.

Poverty and Child Well-Being: A new study published in the British Medical Journal finds that income inequality appears to have a strong negative impact on well-being among poorer children. Poor children tend to fare less well than rich children throughout the world, but a recent UNICEF study found poor children from the US and the UK are worse off than those in other rich countries. Researchers believe this is because the poor in these countries experience a greater disparity in economic well-being than in other wealthy countries. In other words, being poor is bad, but being much poorer than others is even worse.

Toy Safety News: The Chicago Tribune recently tested 800 toys culled from store shelves and the Internet and found that twelve, or 1.5%, had lead content in violation of federal safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission believes this is the largest toy safety testing undertaken outside of the agency. Most of the tainted toys were manufactured in China; however, not all were found at discount or large chain stores: The results countered a popular belief that upscale boutiques offer better protection from the hazard than chain retail outlets. More than one-third of the tainted items found by the Tribune were sold in small stores. Among the toys found to have excessive lead: A yellow Baby Einstein block purchased on line.

The organization W.A.T.C.H. (World Against Toys Causing Harm)* has released its list of the “10 Worst Toys” of the year. This annual list “nominates representative toys with the potential to cause childhood injuries, or even death”.

Making the cut this year:

Go Diego Go Animal Rescue Boat: The surface paint on this toy contains excessive levels of lead paint. These were recalled last month, but are likely still in homes around the country.

Sticky Stones: These are magnetized stones that, if swallowed, can cause intestinal blockage requiring surgery. (Apparently, the packaged ones sold on line have no warnings on them.)

Jack Sparrow’s Spinning Dagger: The W.A.T.C.H. folks think the toy should include a warning about potential eye injury (it doesn’t).

Dora the Explorer Lamp: This (supposed) non-toy contains the warning, “THIS IS AN ELECTRIC LAMP – NOT A TOY! TO AVOID RISK OF FIRE, BURNS, PERSONAL INJURY AND ELECTRIC SHOCK, IT SHOULD NOT BE PLAYED WITH OR PLACED WHERE SMALL CHILDREN CAN REACH IT.” Furthermore, instructions warn consumers to “unplug the product when leaving the house, when retiring for the night, or if left unattended”. Um…why bother making this thing?

Lil Giddy Up Horse: This is marketed to very young children but has a wooden bead that is choke-y if it becomes detached, plus the hair apparently presents a choking hazard.

Spider Man 3 New Goblin Sword: The spring-action blade extends at the push of a button to a length of “over 3 feet long!” That does sound kinda dangerous…

Hip Hoppa: Danger of injury from falling off if you are are not good at hip hoppa-ing.

B’Loonies Party Pack: Oh how I remember theses! I can attest that they are quite fume-y. Apparently, they’re inflammable, too.

My Little Baby Born: Comes with a choke-y pacifier.

Rubber Band Shooter: Cool! OK, potentially problematic.

Receiving a sort-of honorable mention: Aqua Dots (aka Date Rape Dots).

If you’re feeling nostalgic, check out this old post on the most dangerous toys of all time.

Posted by MommaSteph.

*(What is it with awkward acronyms this week?)

Just in time for the upcoming holiday shopping season, the group TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment) has released its Toy Action Guide. Here, an excerpt that underscores their general outlook on play:

Play is essential to children’s healthy development and learning. Children use play to actively construct knowledge, meet social/emotional needs, and acquire life skills. The content of their play comes from their own experiences. Because of the pervasive influence of the electronic media — TV, movies, videos, DVDs, computers video games — children spend more time sitting in front of a screen and less time playing creatively with each other. These changes in today’s childhood are undermining play.

Toys of value enhance children’s natural ability to engage in imaginative, meaningful play by allowing them to try out their own ideas and solve their own problems. However, many toys rob children of opportunities to use their own imaginations, creativity, and problem solving skills. These types of toys are often linked to popular media images and programs.

Their advice is pretty straightforward: Choose toys that give children opportunities for dramatic play (such as a doctor’s kit), manipulative play (blocks, puzzles), and creative play (instruments, art supplies), as well as board games and toys that encourage healthy physical play. The guide includes specific toy recommendations.

What to avoid, according to TRUCE? Toys that make violence central to play (action toys with weapons marketed to little kids), “sexy” toys (such as Bratz), and toys that lure little kids into the world of PG-13 movies or that tie toddler icons to older kid toys (such as Tickle Me Elmo Barbie, who wears an Elmo T-shirt and carries around a mini Elmo doll).

Also in the cross-hairs: “Educational” toys (such as LeapFrog’s My First Computer), traditionally creative toys that are geared away from open-ended play and toward violence (such as the Lego Exo-Force sets), and toys that make kids dependent on screens for play (such as Jammin’ Gym Class from V-Tech).

The idea of preserving open-ended play was brought home to me the other day when we had a playdate and the most coveted “toy” was a cardboard tube from an empty paper towel roll. And why not? It served as a trumpet, a telescope, a rolling-thing, and a rocket ship, in the span of minutes. Santa may just bring a sackful.

Posted by MommaSteph.

If you’re like me, your house is a bit overrun with stuffed animals bestowed on your little ones by well-meaning relatives. I’ve been contemplating what to do with these space-stealers (my boys each have two “friends” and pretty much ignore the rest), and this past week I found the answer.

I happened upon a collection site for toys for soldiers to give Iraqi children.

Hooray!

Small, sturdy toys are welcome. The soldiers carry them in their pockets and give them out to children as they go about their duties. The children love the toys, and the soldiers love making the kids’ lives a little sweeter.

If you don’t have a collection site near you, check out the website BeaniesForBahdad for instructions on how to get the toys to where they can do some good.

Yesterday was Veterans’ Day. Here’s one way to make life a little sweeter for a future veteran while bringing some joy into a child’s life. What a great idea.

Posted by MommaSteph.

Warning - Aqua Dots Beads Contain “Date Rape” Drug: Spinmaster of Toronto and the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall of about 4.2 million sets of the popular Aqua Dots toys because the coating of the beads that causes them to stick together when wet is toxic if ingested. The toys were manufactured in China.

Two children are reported to have become comatose after swallowing the beads. Parents should take Aqua Dots away from children and contact Spinmaster for a free replacement toy.

The chemical on the beads actually converts into GHB (gamma-hydroxy butyrate), or the “date rape drug”, once metabolized.

Aqua Dots are sold in Australia under the name “Bindeez Beads”.

Lead paint toy recalls: Schylling Associates Inc., of Rowley, MA, and the CPSC are issuing recalls of four toys imported by the company, sold at specialty toy stores and gift shops nationwide, because of lead paint violations. The recalled toys are:

Duck Family Collectible Wind-Up Toys,

Winnie the Pooh spinning tops,

Dizzy Ducks Music Boxes,

and “Robot 2000” tin robot.

The CPSC also issued a recall of Northern Tool and Equipment Co.’s Big Red Wagon because of lead paint violation.

Also recalled for lead paint violations are Dragster and Funny Car toys sold at National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) events through Schumacher Racing, and Matco Tools through door to door sales by its representatives.

Also recalled for lead paint are pull back action toy cars sold at Dollar Stores (sample pictured below, see recall site for more photos).

All of the above were manufactured in China.

Two non-lead related recalls: Fisher Price and the CPSC are recalling the Laugh & Learn Kitchen because pieces of the faucet and clock hands can detach, posing a choking hazard for young children.

And Swimways Corp. and and the CPSC are recalling Skippy pool toys due to laceration hazards.

If you don’t want lead and the “date rape” drug on your kids’ toys, please sign our Toy Safety petition.

Consumers International, a global consumer group, has issued its list of 2007’s worst products worldwide. One of the top contenders is Rozerem, a sleeping pill marketed for children by the United States leg of Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

The “back-to-school” advertisements [the company ran], which complied with US law, promoted the sleeping pills to parents without including health warnings for children, Consumers International said.

“This case demonstrates the lengths to which some drug companies will go to increase sales of their products, how direct to consumer advertising can promote irrational drug use, and how weak regulation can foster irresponsible corporate behaviour.”

Kellogg’s also got a bad product award because so many of its food products use cartoon characters and other gimmicks to draw kids to them, despite the unhealthily high levels of sugar and salt in many of these items.

Other recipients include Coca-Cola (for Dasani, its water of not-so-exotic origins) and Mattel, for its massive problems with lead in its toys.

“These multi-billion dollar companies are global brands with a responsibility to be honest, accountable and responsible,” the group’s director general Richard Lloyd said.

“In highlighting their shortcomings, Consumers International and its 220 member organisations are holding corporations to account and demanding businesses take social responsibility seriously.”

Well, here’s to hoping, anyway.

Posted by Sunshining.

Lead Toy Recall: The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Henry Gordy International Inc., of Plainfield, NJ, are recalling “Galaxy Warriors” toy figurines because surface paints on them contain excessive levels of lead.

Fertility Diet? Researchers out of Harvard School of Public Health looked at the relationship between diet and other lifestyle choices and fertility in women and found that certain changes could help women experiencing trouble conceiving because of ovulatory problems. The women with the highest fertility diet scores ate less trans fat and sugar from carbohydrates, consumed more protein from vegetables than from animals, ate more fiber and iron, took more multivitamins, had a lower BMI, exercised for longer periods of time each day, and, surprisingly, consumed more high-fat dairy products and less low-fat dairy products. The relationship between a higher “fertility diet” score and lesser risk for infertility was similar for different subgroups of women regardless of age and whether or not they had been pregnant in the past.

Food Safety Alert: The Food and Drug Administration is recalling certain Kroger brand dips because of possible Listeria contamination. The recall includes:

• 7.5-ounce packages of Kroger Cajun Salmon Dip, marked “Use by 04NOV2007A LN3″ and “Use By 04NOV2007B LN3.”
• 7.5-ounce packages of Kroger Southern Crab Dip, marked “Use by 04NOV2007A LN3″ and “Use By 04NOV2007B LN3.”
• 7.5-ounce containers of Kroger Sun Dried Tomato Crab, marked “Use By 24OCT2007A LN3.”

(See this earlier MomSquawk post for information on keeping safe from Listeria while pregnant.)