At least one toy listed among 70 dangerous ones in a Public Interest Research Group report is being sold by a number of local retailers

Little Johnny or Susie may have his or her sights set on a water yo-yo ball or some Hello Kitty cosmetics for Christmas, but parents beware. Christmas shopping isn’t as simple as making a list for Santa.

A nationwide report released Tuesday by the Public Interest Research Group listed more than 70 toys deemed unsafe for small children.

The annual report, "Trouble in Toyland," warned parents to be cautious of toys that posed safety risks for children in four categories: choking hazards, dangerously loud, risk of strangulation and containing toxic chemicals.

Jennifer O’Brien, spokeswoman for the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group, said that despite passage of the 1994 Child Safety Protection act, toys that can harm children are as easy to find as a trip to the store.

"It’s very important, for parents or anyone shopping for children, to check toys out whether they have warning labels or not," she said. "You cannot determine what risks a toy might pose to children unless you are very attentive and really check them out."

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According to the report, more than 212,000 people sought treatment in hospital emergency rooms in 2002 for toy-related injuries; more than a third were under 5 years old. Thirteen children died from toy-related injuries in 2002.

"The sad thing is that these injuries and deaths are totally preventable," said O’Brien. "Parents can pay more attention and the companies that produce these toys can take better care."

Among the worst on the list, O’Brien said, is a water yo-yo ball that was reported to have caused strangulation and had even been banned in some countries. The stretchy cord of the ball can wrap around a child’s neck if he slings the cord overhead like a lasso.

A quick survey Tuesday found water yo-yo balls being sold locally at Fred Meyer stores, Kay-Bee Toys, Target and Clas E Professor in the Rogue Valley Mall.

"Yea, we carry those. I think almost everybody does. Kids love them," said Clas E Professor owner Scott Kohlmeier.

"We haven’t had any problems or complaints and they sell very well. I was aware of that warning, but you’d have to try pretty hard to get hurt with one."

Toys that made the list of choking hazards included Dora the Explorer party favor bracelets and Fisher Price Loving Family Pony Parade, Mom and Newborn and Baby Horse Blossom.

Toys listed as dangerously loud, meaning toys that produced higher than recommended levels of sound that could lead to hearing loss, included Learn Through Music by Fisher-Price and a Hello Kitty phone by Sanrio.

Toys, primarily cosmetics, containing toxic chemicals included several Hello Kitty cosmetic items, Claire’s Boutique cosmetics, Strawberry Shortcake Scented Nail Color and a nail polish sold by Old Navy.

Large local retailers, including Fred Meyer and Wal-Mart, were unable to comment on whether they had policies on carrying toys listed in the report, which O’Brien noted were just a small sampling.

Bill Graham, owner of Scheffel’s Toys in Jacksonville, said parents and store owners should err on the side of caution no matter how harmless a toy might seem.

"We have our vendors and reps ensure safety of the toys that we carry and we also check them out as soon as they come in to ensure they meet our standards," Graham said. "Being a small business we’re able to do that. Unfortunately, I could see where it would be difficult to do so with the larger stores.

"It’s up to the parents to really check things out and keep their kids safe."

A complete copy of the report can be found on the Web site: www.toysafety.net Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at buffypollock@juno.com.