Holiday gift giving time is here. So it's a good idea to know what to look for when purchasing a gift.
Though toys in our country are relatively safe there have still been many preventable accidents and deaths because people didn't read labels or check parts. Sixteen children under age 15 died due to toy-related injuries in 2004, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Another 210,300 suffered toy-related injuries.
Toddlers have died from shoving the plastic wrap into their mouths.
It's up to the adults to be adults and do their job. Here's what you need to do to keep your holiday's safe.
"SIMPLE GUIDELINES FOR TOY SELECTION AND SAFETY
Your child's well-being should be a most important factor in deciding what toys you will buy.
The U.S. government's Consumer Product Safety Commission offers the following guideline that may help in picking out a safe toy:
Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills, and interest level of the intended child. Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards to younger children.
For infants, toddlers, and all children who still mouth objects, avoid toys with small parts, which could pose a fatal choking hazard.
Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly secured eyes, noses, and other potential small parts.
For all children under age 8, avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.
Do not purchase electric toys with heating elements for children under age 8.
Be a label reader. Look for labels that give age and safety recommendations and use that information as a guide.
Check instructions for clarity. They should be clear to you, and when appropriate, to the child.
Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys, which can cause suffocation, before they become deadly playthings."
These seem like common sense things.
Via James Swartz of WATCH:
''It's really about being a good consumer, knowing the hazards to look for, and never assuming that anything that makes it to the store shelf must be safe,'' said James Swartz, director of WATCH, or World Against Toys Causing Harm, a nonprofit group that releases an annual ''10 worst toys'' list. ''It's about looking at toys with a critical eye and being informed about what to look for.''
Unfortunately, many corporations find it cheaper to pay for a few wrongful death lawsuits than to admit htat their baby swing may drop the child and cause spinal damage, or other weird things. And many times, they include HUGE amounts of wrapping, even a simple barbie has probably seven to ten metal twisties holding her in the box... Do you want your child to swallow one?
A lot of us may forget to instill these good habits, or may simply be too rushed to ensure that toys are perfectly safe for the child before handing it to them.
Common sense rules during the busy holiday season... DONT let it slide!
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Whats sad is that this stuff SHOULD be common sense.