The holiday season is a time of excitement for both parents and children. It's an occasion to spend time with the family, go on shopping trips and party. Parents often find pleasure in fulfilling their little one's wishes with the latest toys.
However, toy-related injuries are one of the serious problems faced by parents in the United States. According to the National Network for Child Care, 150,000 toy-related injuries are reported every year across the country. Though falls are the most common accidents, injuries from children swallowing or putting small parts in noses and ears are not rare.
Highlighting this point, according to health experts from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, parents should take extreme care while shopping for toys for children.
To ensure safety, they provide some tips:
* Read the warning labels properly before buying a toy
* The toy should match a child's age, interests and skills
* Avoid toys with sharp edges and points
* Avoid toys that pose risks- with small magnets, toy balls and latex balloons
* Small parts of a toy can be risky for children below three years. To avoid choking hazard, parents should ensure that toys are at least one inch in diameter and two inches long
* Avoid toy jewelry as it may contain lead or cadmium
* Avoid a toy that requires electricity. It's better to go for battery operated toys
* Be careful while buying pull toys with long strings. Strings more than 12 inches in length can pose strangulation risks
* Keep older children's toys away from younger one's reach
* Take extra care with button batteries found in toys, to avoid any risks of swallowing and related health risks
* When a child swallows several magnets, they attach to each other inside the system, causing internal soft tissues to be caught up between them, leading to many health problems
* Dispose the plastic wrapping immediately after opening the gifts
In a case reported earlier this year, a 6-year-old boy from Salt Lake City was found living with a Lego piece stuck up inside his nose for three years.
