THIS holiday season dampened by the coronavirus pandemic should make us all the more concerned about children’s health and safety. Even minor injuries of children that require emergency care and treatment at a hospital could further strain an already overburdened healthcare system.
Always remember and apply the motto “Safety First” before making any purchase, especially of toys for children. Many consumers, more often than not, make knee-jerk purchases based on the attractiveness, color, packaging and price of a toy, without paying attention to safety details.
Avoid buying toys that could put children’s health in danger and instead provide them with playthings to support their mental, physical and social development.
There are basics matters to consider when scouting for holiday toys for kids to keep them out of harm’s way. These must be age-appropriate, well-made, with no small parts, with strings shorter than 12 inches, injury-free, not coated with lead paint, non-polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic; and labeled and registered.
Some of these common toy hazards include loose or small parts that may be ingested and bring about breathing difficulties or choking; pointed or sharp edges that may injure the eyes or cause cuts and grazes; cords or string longer than 12 inches that may pose strangulation risk; and hazardous chemicals such as lead in paint and phthalates in PVC plastic that may result in health and developmental problems.
Young children are more vulnerable to lead exposure because they often put their hands or other objects that may contain lead paint or dust in their mouths. Lead interferes with normal brain development and the damage caused by chronic, low-level exposure to lead is sadly permanent. The brains and central nervous systems of young children are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead exposure. Among the damaging effects of childhood lead exposure include decreased intelligence as measured by IQ tests, reduced school performance and behavioral problems, including aggression and violence.
According to the World Health Organization, there is no known level of lead exposure that is considered safe.
We hope and pray that consumers would take note of them. We encourage them to add more to the list based on their personal experiences with common toy hazards. Let’s keep our children happy and safe this holiday season.
