How to Purchase Safe Toys

Emergency rooms treated 251,800 toy-related injuries in 2015, and 44 percent of these injuries were to the head and face area. Nearly 85,000 injuries involved children under the age of five. Reduce risk of injury by avoiding toys that shoot or have parts that fly off. Consider not only whether a toy is right for a child’s age prior to purchase, but also whether there is a risk of injury if a smaller child gets his or her hands on it. Avoid purchasing toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes, rods, or dangerous edges. Rule of thumb: If any part of a toy can fit in a toilet paper roll, the toy is not appropriate for a child under three. Watch out for deflated balloons or broken pieces; these are two of the most common choking hazards for children. Source: www.preventblindness.org/safe-toy-checklist

Tracy Bussey | 12/11/2016