With the holidays fast approaching, most children have already made a wish list for toys they are hoping to get as gifts. While parents scramble to stores and wait in long lines to fulfill their child’s dreams, it is important to keep safety a top priority. Serious personal injuries can happen due to dangerous and defective toys. Check out the following tips to help reduce your child’s risks.
Toys That Increase the Risk of Personal Injuries
Toys can provide children with hours of fun and play. However, you need to use some caution when making toy purchases. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), toy-related injuries send as many as 250,000 children to hospital emergency rooms each year. Particularly during the holiday season, make sure the toys you choose for your child are safe. Common hazards include:
- Riding toys: Bikes, skateboards, hoverboards, and motorized scooters all carry significant fall risks. For older children and teens, they also increase the likelihood of motor vehicle accidents.
- Games: These toys require special consideration to ensure they are age-appropriate. Small game pieces can easily present choking hazards.
- Darts and other propelled toys: Any type of toy or gun involving objects that are propelled through the air increases the likelihood of injuries.
- Balls: While getting a bouncing ball, football, or softball for your child may seem perfectly harmless, these are a leading cause of toy-related injuries. Make sure to get the proper size and monitor use during play.
- Electric toys: Battery-operated or plug-in toys, such as trains, cars, miniature baking ovens, computer games, and other popular items, pose burn and electrocution risks.
When assembling and wrapping toys for the holidays, parents need to closely inspect each item. Sharp, pointy edges, broken pieces, loose parts, and defective toys can all pose hazards for your child.
Protecting Your Child Against Dangerous Toys
Kids Health warns parents to carefully consider whether a toy they are about to buy is age-appropriate. Check the packaging for age recommendations and read through the instructions and any warnings carefully. Other tips for protecting your child and ensuring the toys you buy are safe include:
- For babies and toddlers: Make sure stuffed animals do not have sewn-on eyes or other objects, which can present choking hazards. Little ones are also known for mouthing objects, so use caution in purchasing plastic toys, which could leach toxins.
- For preschool and young elementary school kids: Children at this age are more likely to throw toys around. Avoid toys made from heavy wood, metal, or other materials.
- For adolescents and teenagers: Riding toys and sports equipment are popular with this age group. Get them the appropriate protective gear, such as helmets and pads, to go along with these gifts.
Contact Us Today for Help
At the Johnston Law Firm, P.C., protecting your family’s safety is a top priority. When injuries happen, we can help you get the compensation you need to recover. To request a consultation, call (503) 546-3167 or contact our Portland personal injury attorneys online today.