Updated on: 3/6/2019
Everyone wants an injury-free holiday season with their children. Child-safety advocates are encouraging parents to keep in mind safety while shopping. “Play is kids’ job; we should be supporting it in every way we can,” said Dr. Susan Pollack, a pediatrician with Kentucky Children’s Hospital and the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Kentucky.In order to keeping the danger out of playing, you must always supervise your children and make sure they are playing with age appropriate toys. On every toy box, there is an age recommendation. This is something you should always keep in mind when buying for kids. The toys may be dangerous or too intricate if they are not meant for their age level. This can be a recipe for disaster.
In the United States in 2010, there were 17 reports of children deaths from toy-related injuries. Also in 2010, emergency rooms treated 181,500 injured children under the age of 15, non-motorized scooters most common cause of injuries. The most common form of toy-related injuries or death is choking. It is important for kids to always wear helmets, even on scooters and skateboards. “Helmets are really important because we don’t fix heads very well, and a traumatic brain injury can change your child’s life forever,” said Pollack, Kentucky’s Safe Kids coordinator.
Make sure you shop responsible this holiday season by keeping safety in mind.