Pinoy.Urban.Blog

Holiday shopping is here once again, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has its list and parents and gift buyers are encouraged to check it twice before making their own shopping lists and hitting the stores. According to the 2007 Commission report, 18 toy-related deaths and about 170,100 hospital emergencies attributed to toy injuries in the US. Unfortunately, there are no statistics available in the Philippines, but I have a personal story that I can share with everybody that might keep your attention.

Years ago, my cousin’s son (a 2-year old) died after swallowing a Christmas tree trinket. The maid in charged of the children of my cousin panicked and instead of seeking help from neighbors or calling her employer, she tried to pry the trinket out of the mouth of the boy but instead, her fingers opened his airway and the trinket went down further into his esophagus. The boy died.

Just like the commission has reported, most of the deaths were associated with airway obstruction from small toys, drowning, or motor vehicle accidents during play. The injuries are mostly lacerations, contusions and abrasions.

Here is a list of the top 5 toy hazards:

Scooters and other Riding Toys- riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and deadly. I suggest that if you are giving away such toys, consider giving along safety helmets and safety gears like knee and elbow pads that can be worn at all times and are sized to fit the wearer.

Small balls and other Toys with Small Parts- For children younger than three, avoid toys with small parts which can cause chocking.

Balloons- Children can choke and suffocate on un-inflated or broken balloons. Keep un-inflated balloons away from children and discard broken balloons at once.

Magnets- Avoid building or play sets with small magnets. If magnets or pieces of magnets are swallowed, serious injuries and or death can occur.

Chargers and Adapters- Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.

Lastly,

• Throw away discard plastic wrappings on toys before they become dangerous playthings.
• Keep toys for older children AWAY from younger siblings.
• Pay close attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers because most chargers lack devices that prevent overcharging.

For gift-giving suggestions, check out Frugal Living- Pinoy Style.

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Website

Related posts:

1. Halloween Saftey Tips It is Hall

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 15th, 2008 at 5:40 am and is filed under Household Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.