Keep Your Kids Safe!

Last year, hospital emergency rooms treated 251,700 toy-related injuries throughout the U.S. according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of those injuries, 72 percent were to children under the age of 15. Nearly half of the reported injuries occurred to the head and face.

Prevent Blindness America encourages you to make conscientious purchasing decision based on each individual child. That’s why they’ve declared December as Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month.

Here are some tips from Prevent Blindness America to keep your child safe:

• Make recommendations to family members and friends about gifts that you feel are appropriate for your child.
• Inspect all toys before purchasing and monitor toys that your child has received as gifts.
• For younger children, avoid play sets with small magnets and make sure batteries are secured within the toy.
• Gifts of sports equipment should always be accompanied by protective gear (such as a basketball along with eye goggles or a face guard with a new batting helmet).
• Any toy that is labeled “supervision required” must always be used in the presence of an adult. Keep toys meant for older children away from younger ones.
• Avoid toys that shoot or include parts that fly off.
• Inspect toys for sturdiness. Your child’s toys should be durable, with no sharp edges or points.
• Don’t give toys with small parts to young children. Young kids tend to put things in their mouths, increasing the risk of choking. If the part of a toy can fit in a toilet paper roll, the toy is not appropriate for children under the age of 3.