TOY SAFETY

In general, most toys on the market today are safe. But, injuries still occur in spite of tough government regulations and toy makers' efforts to test products. Every year thousands of children are injured in preventable accidents involving toys. The first step in preventing toy-related injuries is to know what to guard against.

Read the Label

Toy makers follow the guidelines established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in determining the age grading of a toy. In most cases, this information will be on the package label. The age recommendation reflects the safety of a toy based on four categories. These include:

• The physical ability of the child to play with the toy
• The mental ability of a child to know how to use a toy
• The play needs and interests present at various levels of a child's development
• The safety aspects of a particular toy

Some toy makers may also put warning labels about the toy for parents, which does not mean that the toy is unsafe, but alerts parents:

• To supervise toy use to make sure a child younger than the age listed does not misuse the toy.
• To help the child understand directions.
• That the toy may be dangerous to younger children who may choke on a small part.

Cautionary information is often labelled on electrical toys, science and craft toys, swim aids that are not intended as life-saving devices, balloons, crib gyms and mobiles, and any toy that requires assembly.
Numbers BS 5665 or EN71
One of these numbers may appear either on the toy or on the label. The manufacturer is claiming that the toy meets either a British (BS5665) or European (EN71) safety standard.

The Lion Mark
The Lion Mark is a symbol of safety and quality used by members of the British Toy and Hobby Association.

Age warning symbols
These symbols are usually in words like
'not suitable for children under 36 months'
Sometimes this sign is used as well. It means the toy is not suitable for children under 3 years old.

The CE mark
This mark must appear on all toys in the European Union (EU). The manufacturer is claiming that the toy meets the EU toy safety law Safety Directive.

Tips for toy safety

• Toys are designed for specific uses. When used inappropriately -- throwing it, jumping on it, or taking it apart -- the toy may break, exposing sharp edges or loose, small pieces that quickly may become hazards.
• Strangling may occur if a string, rope, or cord from a toy gets tangled around a child's neck. Long objects can be deadly if your child falls or gets tangled up in them while in a crib. Loose or long parts of clothing, such as dangling hood cords, could also strangle a child when tangled or hooked on playground equipment.
• Eye injuries often result from toys that shoot plastic objects or other flying pieces.
• An arrow, dart, or pellet can be a choking hazard when shot into a child's mouth.
• Injuries can also result from snapping or machine-gun noises made by some toys -- noise levels that are higher than 100 decibels can damage a child's hearing. Caps are dangerous if used indoors or closer than 12 inches from your child's ear.
• Playing with electric plug-in toys or hobby kits may result in serious injuries. Burns and shocks may result from frayed cords, misuse, or prolonged use.
• Chemistry sets and other hobby kits may contain toxic substances or materials that can catch fire and cause serious skin and eye injuries, and can also cause explosions or poisoning.
• Toy chests and other storage containers can cause serious childhood injuries, which can pinch, bruise, or break tiny fingers and hands when a lid closes suddenly. A child can also suffocate if trapped inside a toy chest.

Toys to avoid
Infants and toddlers should never be given toys with the following:

• parts that could pull off
  
• parts that could fit into a child's mouth, nose, or ear
  
• 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

If a child is suspected to have a foreign body in the ear, nose, throat or stomach the we advise that you visit the Accident and Emergency department at our local hospital for expert advice

Baby walkers are bought by fond parents in the hope that they will teach the toddlers to walk. This is a myth. Toddlers don't need baby walkers to learn to walk and baby walkers don't speed up the learning either. But more that...

BABY WALKERS ARE UNSAFE
AND UNNECESSARY DON'T USE THEM!
...Baby walkers are not only unnecessary, they are unsafe. Many toddlers have had accidents and been taken to hospital casualty. Putting a baby unsupervised in a baby walker is like giving a teenager the keys to the car, hoping he will learn to drive.
Avoid baby walkers. Your baby is better without them