The holiday season brings so much joy, especially for young children and their families that get to see them light up as they unwrap presents.
While picking out toys that young ones will love, it is also important to consider the safety of the toy, Ellen Walston, Injury Prevention Program coordinator at ECU Health Medical Center, said.
In 2021, there were more than 152,000 toy-related, emergency department-treated injuries to children under the age of 15, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“I think the thing is, because of COVID and supply chain issues, a lot of parents have a lot of pressure on that perfect gift,” Walston said. “But you don’t need to sacrifice safety.”
Walston noted toys with many pieces and stuffed animals with poorly sewn features as choking hazards for small children. A good test, she said, would be to use a toilet tissue roll to see what kinds of items might be a choking hazard for a child. If it could get stuck in a toilet tissue roll, it could be ingested and become a choking hazard.
She said often older children and younger children in the same home can play with different toys that may be safer for the older child than the younger child. It is important to remind older children to put away toys when they are done using them to make sure younger children cannot get hurt using that toy or ingesting pieces.
A key concern each year, though, is button batteries, Walston said. Button batteries can be found in many objects around a home, including car key fobs, thermometers, scales and some remotes. These can also be found in books that play music and many singing cards. Walston said if a child gets to these batteries, it can be very dangerous — not only as a choking hazard, but also the possibility for chemical burns from the battery.
Last, Walston reminded anyone purchasing a bike for a child to not forget a helmet and bell or another item that makes noise.
Walston said it all comes down to making educated choices and supervising young children while they play to keep them safe and avoiding an emergency.
“Please make sure that you’re paying attention to labels,” Walston said. “If a toy says ‘not recommended for a child under three years of age,’ you have to take those warnings seriously. Also, supervision is critical and just making sure that children are safe when they’re playing.”
Keeping children safe with their toys helps ensure a happy holiday season for all.