Provided by Prince William County Fire & Rescue System
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. As we get closer to that special day, children are anticipating the toys they will receive from Santa, friends, and family.
But if not properly selected, toys chosen may cause injury even death. A report released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) titled” Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries Calendar Year 2023” states an estimated 231,700 toy-related emergency department-treated injuries occurred among children of various ages, an increase between 2021 and 2023, with non-motorized scooters being the largest number of toy-related injuries. During that time period, CPSC reported 10 toy-related deaths among children 14 years of age and younger due to choking and drowning: Choking on small objects, such as a bouncy ball and a crayon, and drowning while using a flotation toy.
During the holiday season and throughout the year, follow these simple safety tips when purchasing toys:
- Check the label: Choose age-appropriate toys by reading the age label on the toy. Children younger than 3 should not have access to toys with small parts, which can cause choking. Also avoid marbles and small balls for children under 3.
- Get safety gear: With scooters and other riding toys, supervision is key, along with proper safety gear that includes helmets. Helmets should always be worn properly and should be sized to fit. Avoid riding a scooter on a street or roadway with other motor vehicles.
- Hoverboards: Although not considered a toy, hoverboards should be compliant with UL-2272 safety standard. Buy from a retailer that requires UL certification as standard. Hoverboards that don’t have this certification should be avoided.
- Be careful with magnets: High powered magnet sets are dangerous and should be kept away from children under 14. Building and play sets with small magnets should also be kept away from small children.
Once Gifts Are Open
- IMMEDIATELY discard plastic wrappings from toys.
- Keep toys for older children away from younger children.
- Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers.
o Battery charging should be supervised by adults.
o Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to young children.
o Some chargers lack any mechanism to prevent overcharging. - Keep button batteries away from younger children.
o A child can swallow a button battery and suffer dangerous chemical burns in as little as two hours. DO NOT leave products with accessible button batteries within reach of children.
Checking It Twice
Before discarding that gift list, make sure items purchased DO NOT appear on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recalled toys or children’s products list. Throughout the year, consumers should always check their homes and toy boxes for previously recalled toys as well.
To receive recall e-mail notification, visit U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or call their toll-free hotline (800) 638-CPSC (2772) (TTY 800-638-8270).
To report an unsafe product, visit saferproducts.gov.
To learn more about the dangers of counterfeit merchandise, visit U.S. Department of Homeland Security and UL Standards & Engagement.
