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Beware of soft vinyl (PVC) teethers
and soft vinyl (PVC) rattles

Parents and caregivers of very young children should be wary of giving their babies soft vinyl products designed to be mouthed (sucked or chewed), such as teethers and rattles, according to Health Canada. Assessments of these products have concluded that a health risk stems from the plasticizer, a phthalate called DINP, which is used to make the vinyl soft. Laboratory tests on animals have shown that intense DINP exposure can cause potential damage to the kidneys and liver. The warning does not apply to pacifiers and feeding bottle nipples.

TeetherWhen sucked or chewed for prolonged periods (three hours or more a day on a daily basis), these soft vinyl products can be harmful. Parents or caregivers are advised to dispose of these products.

Some retailers, such as Toys R Us, are moving quickly to identify and remove any potentially harmful products from store shelves immediately.

Additionally, parents or caregivers should watch their children's use of other small, soft vinyl toys not specifically designed for sucking and chewing but are often found in cribs or playpens and to remove them from the child's environment if they observe that the child is sucking or chewing them for extended periods (three hours or more a day, on a daily basis).

For more information, you can call Health Canada at 1-888-774-1111.

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