(Photo credit: US CPSC/Flickr)
With the holidays upon us, many people are out and about getting their holiday shopping done. But before you go ahead and pick up a toy for your child, grandchild or your friends’ kids, one thing you should keep in mind is the toy’s safety.
A recent report by the US Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital shows that toy-related injuries are on the rise with about 3.3 million children being admitted into emergency rooms between 1990 to 2011. During this timeframe, injuries climbed by 40 per cent and in 2011, every three minutes a child was being treated for such an injury.
With 80.3 per cent of these injuries occurring at home, it’s important that someone is monitoring your young child while they are playing.
One of the primary culprits behind this upward trend are scooters, which rose to popularity in 2000. Within 11 years, there have been 500,000 injuries from scooters, which is about one injury every 11 minutes. Since scooters require good balance to safely use them, it’s recommended that any child younger than eight should be watched by an adult while using them.
Younger children are more likely to be injured by choking on a small toy or a small part of a toy, according to the study. During the 11 year timeframe, there were 109,000 hospitalizations of children under the age of five who swallowed a toy. The Chief of Pediatrics at St. Joseph’s Health Centre told the Toronto Star that they’ve had many hospital visits for children with beads shoved into their ears or nose from jewelry making kits. Also, be aware of small powerful magnets that could serve as a choking hazard, which is one of the reasons why BuckyBalls are banned from sale in Canada.
Older children are more likely to be injured by a toy they’re riding, such as foot-powered scooters, tricycles or wagons, which accounted for 42 per cent of the injuries for children between the age of five to 17. These toys are three times more likely to cause injuries that require a longer recovery time, such as a broken bone or dislocation. Children were typically hurt when playing with these toys by a fall (46 per cent) or a collision (22 per cent).
Keep your child safe when playing with any toys they ride on by ensuring that they’re wearing a helmet to prevent head injuries. Also, make sure they’re playing in area away from traffic that has a dry and flat surface.
When buying art supplies for a child, it’s important to buy child-friendly, non-toxic alternatives since sometimes kids will put them in their mouth.
When shopping for a toy, read the packaging for age restrictions and manufacturer recommendations. Also, be on the lookout for any recalls that may be related to any products you’ve purchased.
When you buy a product, you should be able to feel safe knowing that a company has done its due diligence in ensuring its safety. The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have handled personal injury cases, such as product liability, throughout Ontario for over 45 years. Call us at 416-920-4242, set up a free consultation, and come speak with us.
Greg Neinstein
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