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New Year’s celebrations are only a few days away and most young mothers will step out to shop toys as gifts for their toddlers and for their friends or cousins. For many families, toys bought from car boot sales (similar to American yard sales or flea markets) are now a realistic option to tide over the coming festivities.
So is there something you should watch out for while presents for your little ones? Most definitely!
In a report submitted in November 2010, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission cited that the staff had received as many as 12 reports of toy-related deaths in 2009 for children under 15 years of age. The report also stated that an estimated 250,100 toy-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in the same year. (1)
Here’s what you could look out for when buying little ones their bundle of surprise this season and help bring down the incidences of injuries from toys:
1. Make sure the retail outlet selling children’s toy is a reputed and recognised one.
2. Check for a warning label mentioned on the packaging to see if the toy is suitable for the age-group you are buying the toy for.
3. You may want to pick a product made of natural material (fibre and dye).
4. If your child is allergic to certain materials such as synthetic fur, you may do well buying more easily-maintained plastic and other polymer toys. Also if your toddler is prone to colds, it may be a good idea to buy materials that can be easily wiped clean or washed and dried frequently.
5. Do ensure that the toy does not have loose parts such as buttons, beads, etc. which have not been sown or welded or stuck into the fabric or toy material. These pose potential swallowing or choking hazards. By the same logic, it would be good to avoid toys that have many small parts to them (keys, balls, springs, joint nails, pencil batteries/cells) which could poke or be swallowed by the child under three years of age.
6. You may want to ask the retailer if the toy or crayons/paints are non-toxic.
7. Make sure that the toy does not use leaded-paints and that it is moderately to totally fire-resistant. (2)
8. When you gift your child the present, do make sure that after s/he has unwrapped the gift, you take off the packaging material to remove and discard it where it may not suffocate the child.
9. When you are making a toy purchase at a car boot sale or accepting a hand-me-down from a cousin, you may want to visit www.recalls.gov to know if the toy type has been known to be safe for kids that age.
10. If the bought toy is an electrically-driven one, make sure the wires and cords are not too long. Long wires pose threats of strangulation and tripping over for younger children.
11. If your child is not a toddler but a pre-teen and you have decided to buy her/him a pair of roller skates or a bicycle, you must purchase the safety gear and accessories (helmets, elbow or shin guards) that go along with it and are recommended by law to wear when on roads.
12. Check to see if the packaging for the toy has symbols such as European Community (CE) which suggests that the toy meets with the EC Toy Safety Directive 4 (3). Imported toys should have the ISO mark (International Standards Organization). U.S packaging will contain U.S CPSC marking. (4)
13. As a general rule, it would be good to do a quick look-over on the general condition of the toy (especially if is a second-hand purchase). This will help you identify parts that could be risky such as frayed or chipped or sharp edges, exposed wires or loose parts.
SOURCES:
1. Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries Calendar Year 2000; Consumer Products Safety Commission, USA; November, 2011; http://www.cpsc.gov/library/toymemo09.pdf
2. Toy Safety Shopping List; MeridenPatch.com; November, 2011; http://meriden.patch.com/articles/toy-safety-shopping-list
3. Toy Safety - RoSPA's top 10 safety tips on Toy Safety; The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents; November, 2011; http://www.rospa.com/homesafety/adviceandinformation/product/toy-safety.aspx
4. Toy Safety; Wikipedia; November, 2011; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toy_safety
Also Check:
1. Tips for toy safety; Babycenter.com; November, 2011; http://www.babycenter.com/0_tips-for-toy-safety_423.bc
INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. ALL INFORMATION GIVEN IS TO BE CHECKED WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE IMPLEMENTING OR TAKING THEM AS STANDARD OR VERIFIED.
Mamta Singh is a published author of the books Migraines for the Informed Woman – Tips From A Sufferer: ISBN: 978-81-291-1517-1 (Publisher: Rupa & Co. URL: http://www.amazon.com/Migraines-Informed-Woman-Tips-Sufferer/dp/8129115174/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1298990756&sr=1-2), Mentor Your Mind – Tested Mantras For The Busy Woman: ISBN: 978-81-207-5973-2 (Publisher: Sterling Publishers; URL: http://www.amazon.com/Mentor-Your-Mind-Tested-Mantras/dp/8120759737/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316063179&sr=8-1) and the upcoming The Urban Woman’s Integrated Fitness Guide (Publisher: Hay House India).
She is also a seasoned business, creative and academic writer. She is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer & sports nutritionist through IFA, Florida USA. Mamta is an NCFE-certified Holistic Health Therapist SAC Dip U.K. She is the lead writer and holds Expert Author status in many well-received health, fitness and nutrition sites. She runs her own popular blogs on migraines in women and holistic health. Mamta holds a double Master's Degree in Commerce and Business. She is a registered practitioner with the UN recognised Art of Living Foundation. Please visit www.mamtasingh.com
Reviewed December 26, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith
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