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Tips on Buying Safe Toys

The holiday season is approaching quickly and CarolinaEast Pediatrics wants to remind you that December is declared as safe toys and gifts month. In 2016, an estimated 240,000 children were treated due to a toy-related injury, with 73%, about 174,100, of those children being under the age of 15.

Tips for buying safe toys:

• Inspect toys before buying them
• Look for labels to assure the toys have passed a safety inspection
• Read warnings and instructions on the box
• Avoid buying toys with sharp or rigid points
• Stay away from toys with lead
• Make certain all crayons and markers are labeled as “nontoxic”
• Accompany any sports equipment with protective gear

When buying gifts for a child under eight years old, make sure to avoid balloons, because the child could choke or suffocate on a deflated balloon. For children under the age of five, avoid any gifts with small parts that could cause them to choke. Magnets should be avoided when buying for any small child, because if two were ingested they could cause serious injury to the child or possibly death.

It can become difficult to remember safety factors when trying to please your children with the gifts on their wish list. It is crucial to consider all safety factors of the gift. More safety tips to consider include supervising your children while playing with store toys and to keep young children away from toys meant for older children. Make certain to review carefully to only purchase gifts that are child-safe this holiday season.

Sources:
www.preventblindness.org
www.healthtradition.com
www.child-familyservices.org
www.cpsc.gov