On Thanksgiving Day eight years ago, 20-month old Kenny Sweet of Richmond, Va. was rushed to a hospital emergency room with what his mom thought was the stomach flu.

Five minutes later, the tot was dead.An autopsy found tiny magnets in his intestine. The magnets were encased in plastic building blocks toys that Kenny's 10-year-old brother had been playing with. Some of the magnets fell in the carpet, which Kenny found and swallowed. The magnets stuck together inside the body, causing internal damage.This was not an isolated incident. Between 2009 and 2011 there were 1,700 emergency room visits following the ingestion of magnets. Those under age three are at greater risk since they have the tendency to put things in their mouths while riding toys are responsible for the majority of toy injuries among children ages 14 and under.Leading up to the Christmas holidays, toy safety should be a priority for any parent.The toy industry claims that toys are actually safer than ever before."We know that toys are safe," said Joan Lawrence, vice president of standards and regulatory affairs at the Toy Industry Association. "In this country, by law, toys are required to have been tested and certified before they are put on store shelves."But the Public Interest Research Group, in its latest "Trouble in Toyland" report, reminds parents to be vigilant. Toys should be examined for loose parts, broken pieces or sharp edges, and any weak or broken toys should be repaired or discarded.They should also avoid cheap metal or painted jewelry that can be swallowed. These items may contain lead, and ingesting even small amounts of lead can be harmful.Despite the upgraded safety precautions within the toy industry, there's always the chance that a toy can fall through the cracks.By Jim Zbickeditor@tnonline.com