Safe toys make happy holidays, Parkland experts say
DALLAS – As moms, dads and grandparents shop for the perfect toys to bring wreaths of smiles to their children’s faces this holiday, experts at Parkland Health & Hospital System remind adults to think before they buy. Because while all children love toys, not all toys are suitable or safe for all children. Even new versions of classic toys like little green marching soldiers, cuddly stuffed bears or blocks for building an architectural masterpiece may have hidden hazards like sharp edges, poisonous material or small pieces that could easily be swallowed.
In fact, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global organization dedicated to preventing injuries in children, more than a third of toy-related injuries occur in children ages 4 and under, and in 2011 alone, 262,300 children were seen in emergency departments across the U.S. for injuries caused by toys. During Toy Safety Month this December, keep safety at the top of your shopping list.
“Not only can toys themselves be a threat, but the miniature button batteries inside them can be extremely dangerous as well,” said Charise Thomason, Public Health Educator for the North Texas Poison Center (NTPC). “Although most button batteries pass through the body and are eliminated in the stool, some get ‘hung up’ and can press on internal tissue causing bleeding and tissue damage or they can create an electric current around the outside of the battery.”
Shelli Stephens-Stidham, Director of the Injury Prevention Center of Greater Dallas, housed at Parkland, offers the following tips to selecting safe toys:
• Make sure you select toys that match the child’s age and abilities. A toy that is labeled for children 2 to 4 years of age is not appropriate and may be dangerous for a child less than 2.
• For children younger than 10 years, buy toys that are battery-operated instead of toys that must be plugged into an electrical outlet.
• Do not give young children toys or games with small parts or those that may break off because they can choke on those pieces. Government regulations specify that toys for children under 3 years of age cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.
• Do not let children have or play with button batteries or magnets. In addition to toys, button batteries are often found in musical greeting cards, remote controls, hearing aids and other small electronics.
• Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children. Pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length pose a strangulation hazard for babies.
• Do not let children younger than 8 play with un-inflated or broken balloons because they can choke or suffocate on them.
• And, just as toys pose dangers, the boxes they come in can hurt children who play in them. Make sure metal fasteners and tape are removed, as well as all plastic bags and wrap that could lead to suffocation.
If you think someone has ingested a toy, battery or other hazardous object, call the NTPC’s free, confidential poison help line at 1.800.222.1222 right away. For more information about toy safety, call the Injury Prevention Center of Greater Dallas at 214.590.4455.
