Last month a two-year old boy was taken to the emergency room of a hospital in Amman after suffering from severe bleeding from his nose only to discover that a battery from a mobile-shaped toy was stuck inside his nose. Eventually, after long hours of examinations, doctors decided to operate as the boy was unable to breathe normally.
A doctor at the hospital reinforced that parents must be more cautious when purchasing a toy for their children and select only those toys that are approved in terms of quality and safety, having been inspected by a specialized authority to ensure they are suitable for children. Parents should select a toy according to the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Toys that are too advanced may pose safety hazards to younger children.
“Daman Program” is working hard to prevent such unfortunate accidents by inspecting a variety of imported products and goods at highly developed laboratories in order to prevent the Jordanian market from being the world’s dumping ground for defective and dangerous toys which are directly placing our beloved sons and daughters at risk. Considering that these toys would not be accepted by any other countries, it poses the question: Why should the Jordanian consumer accept inferior products and expose his or her children to potential dangers?!
Earlier this year due to pressure from the toy traders, exemptions from the Daman program were given by the Jordanian government to traders and as a result, poor quality children’s toys, unacceptable according to international standards, were imported into Jordan that were unchecked by the “Daman Program”. Traders only had to provide declarations and assurances that the toys complied with the necessary standards but with no proof that in fact the toys did meet such standards. Such toys are now available in the market so parents should be aware when purchasing toys for the upcoming holidays.
The “Daman Program” boosts its safety measures during the holidays to prevent unsafe products and toys getting into the market and to detect counterfeit goods in addition to placing them under mandatory inspection.
As we enter the holiday season, children around the world will be making their lists of ‘must-have’ toys, but what a child wants may not always be the best choice when it comes to safety.
While the “Daman Program” is doing its part to protect young children from hazardous toys, parents and grandparents can contribute to their families' safety by being educated shoppers while heading to the nation's toy stores with hopes of finding the perfect gift for their beloved children and grandchildren.
