Polly Pocket Recall and Dora

[mom4scrapbooking]

I have a question to all parents out there. I have several of the items on recall lately. I however can't even imagine where all the pieces are in the house. Do I have to send in all the pieces to get a credit or how does this work? Anyone have experiences with the Mattel recalls?

Thanks so much!

 

[bumbershoot]

We didn't get any of these things in the brief period of time they were out, but we've been part of recalls before. They aren't treated as regular returns, they just want the things OUT of your house, so they have been lenient with the recalls that have affected me.

But since the point of it is that they have lead paint on it, it would probably behoove you to be sure to find them anyway, to get them away from the kiddos!

Augh, I *still* haven't actually sent back the Thomas trains that were part of THAT recall...they are out of DS's reach, but still in the house.

 

[hmhs]

I had one of Dieago toys. I just contacted Fisher Price and they sent me an email on what to do- I don't think you'd have to find all of them. I've had a problem or two in the past with a Fisher Price toy and they have awesome customer service!

 

[bumbershoot]

Realized I spoke a wee bit too soon. I hadn't yet received the recall list "listserv" email, and was only going by the vague news articles about it.

Since the PP stuff is recalled b/c of magnets:"The magnets measure 1/8 inch in
diameter and are embedded in the hands and feet of some dolls, and in
the plastic clothing, hairpieces and other accessories to help the
pieces attach to the doll or to the doll's house. "

I would get every last piece of it out of my house. I'm in western WA and a local show had the mother of a child who was a victim of the Magnetix magnets falling out, and I will not mess with magnets like that in any way, shape, or form. I doubt I'll have anything like that until DS is at least 12, just to be sure, and if we have other kids before, that, DS will just have to wait until college to have such toys.

So I'd get every last piece out, to be sure the danger is out of your house.



But I doubt the recall people would absolutely insist on it, unless they are being sticklers for the reason they are recalling it.


By the way, anyone who isn't subscribed to the recall list, even though sometimes it comes out AFTER the news, I recommend subscribing. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx

 

[Schmeck]

Aren't the Polly Pockets listed just for the magnets? Isn't there a "for ages X and up" on the packaging? I don't understand why they are recalling them. Older kids should know better than to swallow toy parts, and parents should know better than to let younger kids near the stuff.

The tragedy of the small child eating magnets could have been prevented by the parent - the toy was not marketed for that young age group. The parent now wants to ban all small magnetic toys, etc, from being sold. Of course it is horrible that the child died, and I wish it didn't happen, but I don't think small magnets need to be banned or recalled, if properly labeled for older children.

Now, lead paint on toddler toys - What were they thinking? I hope everyone who has purchased these toys gets their $$ back, and the children are OK!

 

[mom*to*2*princesses]

I was wondering the same thing as the OP. We have a lot of Pollys in our house, including two of the sets that are on the recall list. I doubt I can round up every single piece that came in those sets. Plus, my kids are old enough to know not to eat magnets that fall out of Polly Pockets. It's a toy marketed for older kids, so I too am not sure why the recall...

 

[Hannathy]

I wouldn't be participating in either recall! by the time my kids played with Polly pockets they weren't going in there mouths. Actually the same with the Thomas trains also. The kids would also have to chew an awful long time on the trains for it to hurt them. The only reason is the magnets in the Polly Pockets and there is no reason to take away a toy for that.

My son had and has the magnetix that were recalled and did not believe in that recall either.

A 7 yr old should no better than to put something in their mouth, period. and they had to do it twice because one magnet wouldn't do it it needs to be 2 to cause trouble.

 

[ProductSafetyMom]

Well if you don't believe in it then I guess don't follow it, but the CPSC actually have rules preventing them from ordering frivolous recalls.

The Polly Pocket, Batman, Magnetix toys etc. that have had the magnet retention problems are a new and unique type of risk in the home. It is not the same as the well-known small parts choking hazard. You can see that the Polly Pocket toy has small parts and therefore is not suitable for a child under 3. However, since the magnets are attached to the toy, let's say to the inside of a jacket or the back of a mirror, the parents may not even know there are magnets or assume they will stay intact. What happened in some of the Magnetix cases was that the toy was given to an older child in the home, and the toddler was not allowed to play with it at all. The toy was also put away properly. Little did the parents know that while Suzy was building a pyramid, a few magnets fell out of the corners or the panels and are now hidden in the carpet. Later, toddler George comes along and is sitting on the carpet watching TV, not playing with any toys. Mom is in the kitchen. Little George finds some pretty silver things that look like M&Ms. He has popped them in his mouth without anyone noticing. And it's not just toddlers. Kids from age 1 to 11 have eaten these magnets. Kids are naturally orally curious. They don't all stop putting things in their mouth at the same age. These magnetic pieces are very small and do not cause choking. If they weren't magnetic they would come out the other end the normal way, no harm done. What I'm trying to say is that these toys need to be recalled, not because they have small parts, but because they are defective. They fall apart in a way that was never expected by the parents or even intended by the manufacturer.

When the first Polly Pocket recall was announced, there were 4 kids who needed to have surgery as a result of this defect in the design of the Polly Pocket sets. The magnets reconnected from one part of the intestine to another, twisting, perforating and causing a terrible infection. So I would recommend returning any of the 63 recalled models just to make sure my child, a sibling, or a visting child never has a problem. Also so that I don't end up forgetting about it and donating them or selling them at a yard sale a few years later to some unsuspecting family.

Mattel has said that the models currently in the store are safe. The say that after Jan. 2007 they used little white covers to prevent the magnets from being dislodged. Personally I am not so sure they wouldn't come out if stepped on or cracked. I hope that all toys with magnets will have a label so parents at least know they're in there. If you look at the names of these sets you would usually have no earthly idea. Like Polly Pocket!™ Polly Place™ Party On The Go!™ Playset. Who knew it had magnets??

Over at the magnetscankill space they have a lot of information about this major Mattel recall. I have personally gone through all the web pages on the Mattel site and I can say this - if you want to make it easy, just call their phone number and don't wade through the e-mail process. If you like using your computer, just go through the steps and they will send you a brochure with close up pictures and locations of the model numbers so you can clearly identify which of your toys are affected. They have you print out a mailing label that is one of those computer prepaid doodads. Then you put ANY and ALL of the affected toys or pieces in ONE package and slap the mailing label on. You include your claim form which calculates exactly how much you will get on your voucher. Then you take it to the post office and mail it at no cost. Eight-12 weeks later you get your voucher for another Mattel or Fisher-Price product. They will be very forgiving and understanding. You do NOT have to include complete sets with all the pieces, just try to get as many of the pieces as possible out of your home. From what I understand Mattel hasn't even figured out yet how they are going to safely dispose of these magnetic parts once they get them all. But at least they don't have lead paint which could leach into the water from a landfill. Hopefully the process will be so easy and simple once people get started that they will have a good success rate with this recall.

 

[teresajoy]

I have a question to all parents out there. I have several of the items on recall lately. I however can't even imagine where all the pieces are in the house. Do I have to send in all the pieces to get a credit or how does this work? Anyone have experiences with the Mattel recalls?

Thanks so much!

We have a three of the items listed, but we bought two of them just before the recall dates (for the lead paint). I am seriously wondering if I should take them away from the kids. I've heard that they are still looking into this, and that more recalls might be coming.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wouldn't be participating in either recall! by the time my kids played with Polly pockets they weren't going in there mouths. Actually the same with the Thomas trains also. The kids would also have to chew an awful long time on the trains for it to hurt them. The only reason is the magnets in the Polly Pockets and there is no reason to take away a toy for that.

My son had and has the magnetix that were recalled and did not believe in that recall either.

A 7 yr old should no better than to put something in their mouth, period. and they had to do it twice because one magnet wouldn't do it it needs to be 2 to cause trouble.

I think I might be sick, to read "there is no reason to take away a toy" for powerful magnets that fall out too easily.

http://www.komotv.com/news/archive/4180631.html

I think that's actually AFTER the interview I saw, with the mother who watched her son die, not knowing why. He just started fading, getting sicker for NO apparent reason, and by the time anyone at the hospital decided to get an xray machine over his bowels, it was too late.

I don't think small magnets need to be banned or recalled, if properly labeled for older children.

From what I recall, the death I mentioned above happened before the FIRST Magnetix recall. And it didn't work, because so many families have more than just one older, should know better, child.

As far as I can tell, they REALIZED it didn't work, which is why they did another recall (and perhaps they realized those magnets shouldn't fall out so easily).



If anyone is NOT going to participate in this recall for the magnetized toys that fall apart too easily, I really really really hope you have no pets, and I hope you NEVER have any children over who are younger than the ones you live with. I hope your kids never take their toys over to a friend's house, where they might have pets and/or little children.


And not taking lead paint away from children, that's just mystifying to me. Years have been spent getting lead paint out of this country, because it damaged health, and to just willfully ignore that time and effort seems odd to me.



I gotta stop checking this thread. I think I'm getting an ulcer.