Toy safety

Safe toys tips

To make sure a toy is appropriate for your young child, check the label. In general, most toys on the market today are safe. However, injuries still occur in spite of tough government regulations and toy makers' efforts to test products. The first step in preventing toy-related injuries is to know what to look for.

A Boston Children's Hospital expert offers advice about toys and airway obstruction

Children's experts offer the following comments and advice:

• When you look at data about toys and safety, choking is the number one way in which toys can kill children.
• When selecting toys for your child, look at the toy itself and the small parts of the toy. For example, sometimes it might be the eye of a stuffed animal or a wheel off a truck that could cause your child to choke.
• Magnets, which are in a lot of toys, can be very dangerous. They're in building sets, doll clothes and all sorts of things. If your child swallows one, this may not be a big deal. But if your child swallows two, they can get stuck together inside and cause very serious problems.
• Toys that move can get kids into big, especially if it can move a kid out into traffic. If your children are using skateboards, bicycles or inline skates, be very mindful of safety issues and make sure that your kids have helmets and are using these toys in safe places with good supervision.