Toy Age-Labeling: An Overview for Pediatricians of How Toys Receive Their Age Safety and Developmental Designations

Abstract

Injuries related to toys continue to cause significant childhood morbidity and mortality, despite considerable government regulation of the toy industry. Recent controversy related to toys that contain strong magnets demonstrate the dangers they pose to children. The pediatric community is often unaware of how toys receive their developmental and safety labeling and the degree to which age-labeling on toys can be discretionary. Toy labeling has 2 basic manifestations. The first, safety labeling for hazards like small parts, balloons, or small balls that may present a choking risk, is mandatory. The second, “developmental” age-labeling, describes the age of the children for which the toy is intended, and sometimes has discretionary components. This article provides a review of the regulations governing toy age-safety standards and how they are reflected on toy packaging to help pediatric practitioners apply safety advice across settings and patient characteristics. We review the existing age-labeling regulations and processes and discuss the major areas where children remain vulnerable despite labeling. Finally, we list some recommendations for counseling parents about toy safety.

An investigation of age and gender differences in children’s preferences underlying choice

“…Age has also been shown to be a very important determinant of children’s ability to use different choice strategies (Bereby-Meyer et al , 2004; Pohl, 2017). It is also a very important consideration for children’s product manufacturers and marketers as children’s products often use age as a targeting and segmentation factor (Kulak and Stein, 2016; Richards et al , 2018). Thus, first, this paper explores age differences in children’s attribute valuation.…”