Product Warning For Parents

I recently took my daughter to a major retail store so that she could spend some money she had received for her birthday. She had a list of what she wanted to buy. She knew ahead of time exactly what she wanted. She wanted a new pair of headphones. We travel a lot, and she likes to listen to music on the plane. Her old headphones were broken.

We looked through the electronics section of the store, and she found a pair that she liked. I looked over the package, and they seemed fine. They were neckphones, so I didn't really have to worry about them being too big for her head; they had changeable color discs, so that she could have them any color she wanted. I grabbed them, and we continued with our shopping.

We got home, and she wanted to open them right away. So, I opened up the package, pulled out the headphones and changed the color discs right away, per her request. I gathered the mound of garbage that seems to be included with all electronics purchases, and shoved it all back in the box. That is when I noticed a warning, in small print, on the bottom of the box.

It says; "WARNING: Handling the cord on the product will expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling."

I was appalled!! Not only by the fact that they are knowingly making and selling a product which contains lead, but for several other reasons.

First, that it seems to me that they hid the warning way down at the bottom of the back of the package, where most people are likely to miss it. I would think that would be something people would want to know. They put it beneath the warning that listening to headphones at high volume may affect your hearing. (umm...ok...) Which warning seems to be the more important one? Listening to music at high volume may affect your hearing...isn't that just common sense?

Second, it seems to be only the State of California that recognizes the dangers of lead??? (Excuse me??) Then why all the product recalls for toys with lead based paint??? I'm pretty sure that every state, and many places outside of the United States, recognizes the dangers of lead exposure.

Third, that the only dangers that they list lead causing are birth defects. What about the danger lead poses to children that have already been born??? I wasn't aware that it was only the unborn that were affected by exposure to lead. Exposure to lead in children can cause a multitude of problems including; headaches, abdominal pain, and other symptoms, but can lead to cognitive impairment and behavioral problems, in addition to physical ailments.

And last of all, who washes their hands after listening to headphones??? I always wash my hands before I eat and after I use the restroom, but I generally don't wash my hands after playing a little music through my MP3 player. The packaging suggested users wash their hands after handling the headphones.

After reading this "carefully placed" warning, I grabbed the headphones out of my daughter's hands, sent her to the bathroom to wash her hands, and shoved them back in the box with the rest of the garbage. They are going back to the store, and are being replaced by a safe pair of headphones. I never thought of headphones as being unsafe, but now, I will be sure to read the packages of everything I buy, very carefully.

And, for those of you that are wondering, the headphones are made by Audiovox, distributed by RCA. They say RCA on the box. RCA Fashion Neckphones with Color Caps. Model Number HP242S. I would not normally include the product, except in this instance, I consider it a safety issue, and not just a standard complaint.

Being aware of which products are safe for your family is an ongoing battle for parents. Information is more readily available these days, thanks in part to the internet, and the wealth of information that is right at our fingertips. Keeping up with all the information can be daunting, however.

It seems that every other day, I am hearing about some product being recalled, whether it is a car, due to the fact that the battery catches fire, or baby formula that could make your baby sick, or potentially cause death. The information can be overwhelming.

There are several sites that offer information on product recalls, such as Recalls.gov, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. There are other sites that provide information, as well. Keeping up with all of the information is overwhelming, but it is of the utmost importance for the safety of your family, especially the little ones.