Toy Safety - Identifying High-Risk Situations

Toy Safety - Identifying High-Risk Situations

Scooter injury is the most common cause of toy-related injury and death.

Toys to avoid:

The following toys are not appropriate for infants:

• toys that hang in cribs and playpens with strings longer than seven inches
• toys that are small enough to become lodged in an infant's throat
• plastic wrapping from toys, which itself is a suffocation hazard

The following toys are not appropriate for children ages 3 and under:

• small toys or toys with removal parts that can become lodged in the child's throat (for example, a stuffed animal with loose eyes, game pieces, batteries, or marbles)
• toys with breakable or loose parts (for example, toys with small wheels, or action figures with removable pieces)
• latex balloons
• plastic wrapping from toys, which itself is a suffocation hazard

Infants and toddlers should never be given toys with any of the following:

• parts that could pull off
• exposed wires
• parts that get hot
• painted lead paint
• toxic materials
• breakable parts
• sharp points or edges
• glass or brittle parts
• springs, gears, or hinged parts that could pinch or trap fingers

The following toys are not appropriate for children ages 8 and under:

• toys with sharp points or edges
• electrical toys with heating elements (for example, a toy oven set)
• toys that contain toxic substances (for example, certain art sets)
• toys that can trap fingers
• shooting and/or loud toys (such as bb guns, cap guns, or air guns)
• toys that may contain lead paint (usually older toys purchased at garage sales or flea markets)
• toys that do not adhere to US safety standards

A special safety note about walkers:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) discourages the use of walkers for the following reasons:

• In 2003, an estimated 3,200 children were treated for baby-walker related injuries.
• Babies in walkers can fall over objects or fall down stairs, and may roll into pools, heaters, and hot stoves.
• The use of walkers is associated with poisoning, especially in infants under 9 months of age. The walker puts a young infant at a level where they can reach household chemicals before they are mobile, and before many parents have baby-proofed their homes.
• These devices do not facilitate walking or faster/advanced mobility and may actually hinder certain motor development skills such as pulling-up, crawling, and creeping.
• Walkers give babies extra momentum to break through barriers such as safety gates, resulting in thousands of head injuries each year.

Note: Many manufacturers now make stationery walkers that allow babies to sit in place. These are a safer alternative to the moveable walkers. However, many physicians still believe that all walkers are unacceptable. Consult your child's physician for more information.