A few years ago, a gluten-free blogger friend sent a teddy bear to Sophie. I was so surprised to see a label on the bear that read "asthma and allergy friendly."
Information direct from the AAFA: Toys with the asthma & allergy friendly™ certification mark are an ideal choice for those concerned with asthma and allergies. Toys bearing the asthma & allergy friendly™ certification mark have been scientifically tested and shown to be more suitable for people with asthma and certain types of allergies. These toys can be washed frequently to keep allergen levels low, and they do not contain harmful chemicals at levels known to trigger symptoms. The asthma & allergy friendly™ involves rigorous testing that includes: Surface and stuffing material analysis, allergen loading and demonstration of successful eradication, multiple machine wash testing, quality and safety testing. The asthma & allergy friendly™ Certification Program is operated by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Allergy Standards Limited.
Where to buy
You can go to Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. You will see a list of the stuffed toys that have their certification and links to where the toy can be purchased. I have also seen them available for purchase at Amazon.com.
Safety
From our experience these toys appear to be safe. Sophie loves her bear and we've had no trouble with it. It did not have a chemical smell, like some stuffed toys do, and it's easy to clean and care for. He has been with us for several years and he is still in great condition.
Tips for non-washable toys
Sophie also has some dolls that are made of organic cotton. The intructions say to only "spot clean." But when a kid has dust mite allergies, spot cleaning just won't cut it. So, I freeze them for 24 hours or more in our freezer. Freezing them kills dust mites. Then, I place them each in their own pillow case and wash them in our front load washer. You just have to keep in mind that there's a risk they may bunch up or fall apart. Luckily, we haven't had that happen! Use your judgement. Some toys are studier than others. I tumble dry most of them, unless I think one should be air dried.
