Categories: Health Canada Recall Notices

Of all the toys that are the least likely to cross the threshold of our home, are magnetic toys. Quite honestly, I am AMAZED that there is still a market for them on Canada’s toy shelves (especially for under the age of 5 group). Playwell Enterpriseshas just issued a recall for “Vehicle Magnetic Blocks”. The recall indicates that testing by Health Canada on the vehicle magnetic block set revealed that pieces of the plastic blocks can “break off into small, sharp pieces, posing choking and laceration hazards to young children”. Although, the recall did not mention what happened to the magnets…An alarming number of 3,371 units of the 15 piece vehicle magnetic set were sold in Canada between August 2006 and August 2008.

Oh, and Playwell Enterprises is extending the recall to include their 21 piece vehicle magnetic set, as it *may* present the same hazards yet it is not known how many units were sold in Canada of that product.

I am always baffled how the same manufacturer can know exactly how many products were sold when Health Canada issued a recall (3,371 seems pretty exact to me), but don’t issue the product size when it is a voluntary recall. Thankfully, Playwell Enterprises has included their Toronto number if consumers have any questions or for a refund (What no toll free number?!? – I know, recalls are expensive!).

So what to do? Well, according to Health Canada they have a “Facts for Hazards of Ingesting Small Magnets” guide for all of us to follow, here’s what we can do:

1. Teach children of all ages that small magnets or small items with attached magnets should never be placed in their mouth. Supervise children around products with magnets.

2. A wide range of children’s products such as building toys, dolls and action figures, alphabet and number magnets, science and craft kits, board games and vehicle sets contain small powerful magnets. Health Canada urges parents and caregivers to take steps to avoid incidents with such products.

In our home, we are not providing toys that, “if a child swallows more than one magnet over a short period of time, the magnets can attract one another while travelling through the intestines. When this happens, the magnets can twist the intestines and create a blockage or they can slowly tear through the intestinal walls. The results can be very serious and even fatal.”

These products have been “engineered” for a child 18+ and to whom we need to teach not to put a magnet in their mouth, or small items attached to magnets”…

I’d like someone to send me a YouTube video of THAT message in baby sign language.