czasopisma For many of us, shopping is a serious challenge, especially if we are impulsive people who are often driven by emotions. And sellers and producers are very good at manipulating our emotions, flooding us with a lot of subtle, marketing tricks. This makes it difficult for us to be a rational customer who uses common sense. And it is even more difficult when our child is next to us, who willingly absorbs everything that is happening around him. Buying products for children is a difficult task, and unfortunately, many toys can prove extremely harmful to our child. It’s worth finding out what to watch out for.
PRODUCTS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN – WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN POLAND?
Some of the toys available on the Polish market do not meet safety standards. Reports show that this applies to as many as 1/3 of the toys offered in stores and on online platforms. This means that one in three toys is not adapted to the needs of the child. Of course, the category of toys that do not meet the standards includes not only potentially dangerous toys, but also toys that show slight deficiencies. However, even in the case of minor breaches, we should not give such toys to our children.
- https://www.degress.pl/jaki-namiot-na-wesele/
- https://www.bojadla.edu.pl/klimatyzacja-w-warszawie/
- https://www.wseia.edu.pl/co-oznacza-lakier-hybrydowy-transparentny/
Fortunately, parents’ awareness of checking the materials that were used to create certain children’s products is growing, and the media is taking an interest in reports of unsafe toys and recall warnings. However, it may take months or even years before a given product disappears from the market permanently, so it is so important that parents know what products for young children to buy and what to avoid.
PRODUCTS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN – IMPORT FROM CHINA
Products marked as “made in China” are mainly associated with counterfeits, but also renowned, large Western concerns produce their goods in China. Almost 85% of toys in the European Union are made in China and most meet all safety standards. However, this does not mean that we do not have to worry about the country of production of a given toy. Different factories operate differently and Chinese law is extremely liberal about chemicals that are used to make all kinds of plastic products, including toys for young children. Some of them can be potentially dangerous. By buying products directly from China, we are putting ourselves at risk, especially if they are very cheap fakes of well-known brands or brands that are not present on the Chinese market.
The low price for a branded product should be a warning to us. It is not only about toys for children , but also other products such as cosmetics, clothes and home furnishings. It is better not to buy than to buy products that can harm our health and the health of the baby.
WHAT MATERIALS SHOULD I BE CAREFUL ABOUT?
Products that are used every day should be of the best quality, especially since in the case of toys, small children often put them in their mouth. Many parents give their children far too many toys, which are usually cheap. And unfortunately, cheap toys, of unknown brands or not having specified manufacturers, can pose a potential threat. A better idea is to invest in a smaller number of good-quality toys, especially ecological toys, made of e.g. wood, which are produced in Poland.
Among the ingredients of low-quality plastics, which are potentially dangerous for young children, we should mention PVC (polyvinyl chloride) with plasticizers, 1-4 butanediol, and also heavy metals, lead, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, mercury and antimony.
PVC is used to make the plastic more pleasant to touch and soft. It is a substance that is easily rinsed out of plastic (which is why people are warned against reusing plastic PVC bottles) and can easily get into the body of a child who will chew on a given product. Pregnant women who come into contact with this type of substance may have a low birth weight. In children, however, they can cause hyperactivity, aggression, and increase the risk of asthma. In the case of boys, they may cause the underdevelopment of the genital organs, and in girls, accelerate puberty.
1-4 butanediol is extremely dangerous to health, has a psychoactive effect, can lead to loss of consciousness, and when taken in a large dose, even death. It was detected in a popular toy – beads that change color under water – which caused a lot of controversy and started discussions about the safety of children’s products.
The presence of heavy metals in products for young children is particularly dangerous because their toxicity is largely due to their ability to accumulate in the body. They can cause learning problems, endocrine problems, and various other behavioral disorders.
