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Parents Find Mold Inside Popular Teething Toy

FORT SMITH (KFSM)– Reports of mold found inside of “Sophie The Giraffe” teething toys are circulating on social media- causing many parents to...

FORT SMITH (KFSM)-- Reports of mold found inside of "Sophie The Giraffe" teething toys are circulating on social media- causing many parents to worry.

The toy is made by French company Vulli, and comes with a warning that the giraffe can be damaged if fully submerged in water. The company recommends that it should only be cleaned with a damp cloth and soapy water.

Fort Smith mother of four Abigail Mino said she has used the teething toy for nearly five years.

"I like Sophie because she's a natural rubber product. So, I feel good about my kids chewing on that," Mino said.

Mino met a mother named Kollie Doengi who now lives in North Carolina on a Fort Smith "Mom's" online website. Both moms cut their Sophie teething toy open to see if mold was inside.

Mino found no mold. Doengi said her Sophie was packed away. She retrieved it from storage and noticed it had tiny holes in the neck where her child had chewed the toy. Doengi found mold inside her Sophie.

"I don't know if it's black mold but it is for sure definitely mold," Doengi said.

A doctor with Cooper Clinic in Fort Smith, Marcella Jones D.O. M.P.H. spoke about mold in children's toys.

"Mold is naturally in the environment. It's everywhere and it really doesn't present any serious threat unless it's in the air and aerosolized," Jones said.

Jones recommended cleaning shared toys with warm soapy water or proper disinfectant wipes. She also recommended not altering any children's toys that could be a breeding ground for mold.

The Sophie teething toy can be found at retailers for $20-$30.

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