Wayne Hogan appeared on First Coast Connect and spoke with Melissa Ross about avoiding trouble and tragedy in Toyland this holiday season. A quarter of a million toy-related injuries were treated in US emergency rooms in 2013, and more than one-third were children five years and younger.
Small Parts
Hogan said choking on small parts remains a top concern, especially for kids three and younger. He demonstrated with a hand game with small gumball-sized basketballs that could easily become lodged in a young child’s windpipe, resulting in death or severe brain injury.
He noted that when younger kids play with older ones and mix toys, they are exposed to age inappropriate toys with small parts that can be broken off and swallowed. Parental vigilance is key. Using a toilet paper roll tube is an easy way to test whether a toy is appropriate for a toddler three or younger. As Hogan demonstrated with a small plastic penguin, if it fits through the tube, it’s a choking hazard.
“10 Worst Toy” List
Hogan also touched on toys from W.A. T.C.H.’s “10 Worst Toy” List 2014. Each year, the toys safety group, the World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H.) nominates 10 hazardous toys on the shelves. This year, the list included five toys related to eye or facial injuries, four with small parts that were choking hazards and one involving a strangulation hazard.
Other dangerous toys for kids contain lead, cadmium, phthalates and other hazards like strangulation, balloons, magnets and noisy toys.
Toy Safety – Choking Hazards
To learn more about the toy recall list and to report unsafe toys, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission or call 1-800-638-2772.
If you or a child has been injured by a defective or unsafe toy, consider having a Jacksonville personal injury lawyer represent you. At Terrell • Hogan, we believe it is important to try and help prevent injuries and deaths by publishing important recalls and safety information about defective and dangerous toys.
