It may be your child’s favourite thing to play with when splashing around in the bath of an evening, but a mouldy bath toy can be potentially very dangerous for a tot’s health.

According to KY3, even if a harmless rubber duckie looks clean, the water that has crept inside it through the holes that make them squeak can be loaded with harmful germs.

Under the microscope, mould expert Jim Echols revealed bacteria, yeast and cladosporium were present in samples he took from ordinary household bath toys.

Rhinitis – or a runny nose – as well as coughing, scratchy eyes and asthmatic reactions were all common symptoms of coming into contact with this mould.

Luckily, he said the effects were not very dangerous and most kids recover quickly, but prevention is better than cure.

Earlier this month, thousands of bath toys were used to launch an exhibition at the Atlanta Museum of Design.

A sea of rubber duckies were positioned around the city – free to those who wanted to give them a new home – to promote a new bathroom exhibition.

Filed under: Baths by Vicky on: Thursday, 21 July 2011