On Plush Toys

[Lorenzo]

When do you think is the best time for your child to let go of his or her favorite plush toy? My toddler has asthma and his doctor advised us to not let him play with his plush toys as much as possible. He loves his Barney and Cars plush toys so much, he couldn't sleep without them. We tried keeping these where he couldn't see them, but he threw tantrums and never stopped crying until we had to give in

 

[Jack]

That is quite the dilemma. Maybe you can find some other toys made a different way that you can gradually get him interested in, and gradually replace the plush toys?

 

[Lorenzo]

Yes, that's one option we did try. He's also into "Toy Story" so we bought him Woody and Buzz toys (not the plush ones). He does play with them but not without Barney and Lightning.

Well, I guess, we'll just wait until he gets tired of the plush toys like his older siblings did. In the meantime, we'll have to keep dry cleaning these type of toys to lessen the asthma attacks.

 

[Andersson]

We have a friend a little older than us who has had the same scary bear since she was first married back in her 20's. The bear to me is creepy of course but its not "my bear" so it could be creepy to others too. I guess its something she stuck with as an adult. For our kids most were done with that phase by the time they were 10.

 

[Timothy]

If the toys were not a health risk, I would say to just let the phase ride its course. If it's a serious health risk to him, given the asthma, I would ask the doctor for his advice and weigh the pros and cons of him having the toys versus the damage from taking the toys away from him. If the doctor says the toys need to be removed, I would remove them. If the doctor says it's not appropriate to take something away that he's so attached to, then I would leave the toys and clean them as often as possible.

 

[Don]

There is a spray you can get through an allergy company that will kill the dust mites and eliminate the dander on the toy. We bought some several years ago when our daughter was battling her allergies. You could also put the plush toys in the freezer for several hours. This will kill the dust mites too.

 

[Lorenzo]

There is a spray you can get through an allergy company that will kill the dust mites and eliminate the dander on the toy. We bought some several years ago when our daughter was battling her allergies. You could also put the plush toys in the freezer for several hours. This will kill the dust mites too.

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Great, thanks Don! Yes, we are using Glade or Lysol to spray away dust mites on my son's plush toys. And every two weeks, we wash them thoroughly. We haven't tried putting the toys in the fridge though, but that is something I'm looking forward to do.

 

[Bear]

Can you imagine the look on your son's face when you open the freezer and he sees all of his stuffed animals in there? That will be preiceless! You should definitely get a picture of that!

 

[CHenne]

That would be priceless. My son never really liked the plush toys (stuffed animals). He was always a gun or plastic toy fan. My daughter still has some stuffed animals but they don't have any health problems.

 

[Babar]

If the issue is allergies, can't you wash and dry the plush toys on a regular basis to eliminate the allergens? That sounds like a much better approach than simply keeping the toys away. Or switch to toys made of a material that doesn't cause irritation.

 

[Victor]

That is a tough dilemma. I agree that discussing the pros and cons of keeping the toys with your doctor may be a good idea, and then you and your wife can decide.