WAUSAU, WI (Submitted to OnFocus) – Last year, over 149,000 children 14 years of age or younger were treated in emergency rooms across the country for toy-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
This holiday season, many parents are seeking toys to keep their children – and themselves – entertained during the long winter looming ahead. Safe Kids Marathon County hopes that safety is at the top of their gift wish lists.
“So many toy-related injuries can be prevented if parents know what to look out for,” said Amanda Tabin, Safe Kids & Injury Prevention Coordinator at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. “With the holiday shopping season in high gear, it’s a great time to think about safety, as well as fun, by making sure toys are appropriate for a child’s age and maturity level.”
To mark Safe Toys and Gifts Month, Safe Kids Marathon County recommends the following 4 toy safety tips:
- Find the perfect toy for the right age. Consider your child’s age and development when purchasing a toy or game. Read the instructions and warning labels to make sure it’s just right for your child. Check to make sure there aren’t any small parts or other potential choking hazards, before you settle on the perfect toy.
- Don’t forget a helmet for riding toys. Include a CPSC-certified helmet to keep them safe while they’re having fun on a new bike, skateboard, scooter or any other riding equipment. Learn more about what type of helmet to use by activity at www.cdc.gov/headsup/helmets.
- Store toys after play. Use a bin or container to store toys after playtime is over. Make sure there are no holes or hinges that could catch little fingers
- Sign up to receive product recalls. Stay up to date on toy recalls. Safe Kids compiles product recalls specific to children and sends twice-monthly email alerts for recent recalls. Sign up for the latest recall information at https://safekids.salsalabs.org/recalls-newsletter/index.html.
In addition, if doing your shopping online, be sure to shop from reputable online retailers and avoid unknown third-party sellers. The rapid growth of the of the online marketplace during the COVID-19 pandemic has broadened the avenue for the sale of counterfeit (fake) products. These counterfeit products may fail to meet basic federal safety standards and use of such products may increase a child’s risk of injury. Check out these tips from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce about how to avoid counterfeit products.
For more information about toy safety, visit www.safekids.org or the Consumer Product Safety Commission website (www.cpsc.gov).
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