Smart Toy Shopping a Good Start to Safe, Happy Holidays
Toy Shopping Tips
- Supervise children in toy stores
- Keep in mind that some toys can be pulled apart and broker into small pieces
- A “no-choke testing tube” (available in most toy stores) can help you identify choking hazards
- Do not buy toys that have sharp points or edges
- Purchase only non-toxic makeup and craft kits
- Look for the letters ASTM (this indicates that the product meets the national safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials)
December 2005 — What’s on the top of your child’s holiday wish list? Toys that make a child’s list of favorites still need to pass the safety test.
Manufacturers, government agencies and nonprofit organizations work to ensure that toys are safe. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 200,000 toy-related injuries are treated yearly in hospital emergency rooms. Careful toy selection and proper supervision of children at play are the best ways to protect your children from injury.
“One of the most common causes of toy-related injuries in toddlers is choking,” says Alana M. Ginsburg, DO, pediatrician on the medical staff at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Memorial Hospital West and Memorial Hospital Miramar. “From ages 9 to 12 months, children develop the ability to pick up an object with the thumb and forefinger. Children also start feeding themselves at this age, so this is when parents need to be on high alert for choking.”
For children ages 1 and 2 years, hazards may lie in electrical cords, items stored in ground-level cabinets and their older siblings’ toys. Childproofing the house is important year-round and even more so during the holidays.
Older children are at high risk of injuries from accidents involving bicycles, scooters, roller blades and skateboards. In fact, riding toys are associated with more injuries than any other toy category. “Countless children arrive in pediatric emergency departments with broken bones and lacerations from riding without protective gear,” Dr. Ginsburg says. “As children grow older, parents should encourage independent play with appropriate precautions. Purchase helmets and padding with every bicycle, scooter and pair of roller blades.”
Shop with Care
December is Safe Toy and Gift Month, and the Division of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reminds everyone of the importance of buying safe, age-appropriate toys for children to ensure a safe holiday season. Touching and testing toys in the store will provide valuable information that will help you decide if a toy is suitable for your child. It’s also a good idea to research the items on your child’s holiday wish list to find out which toys might have been recalled or could pose a hazard. A good place to start is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website at www.cpsc.gov.