When you're buying toys for your children this season, be sure to keep safety in mind. Nearly 200,000 people are treated for toy-related injuries each year, and almost half are children younger than age 5. At this age, children are entirely dependent on adults for decisions about toy safety.
Public-interest groups such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission make news with annual warnings about unsafe toys, but the message cannot be repeated too often: Common sense must be your shopping guide when buying toys for children of all ages.
Q: What are the most common toy-related injuries?
A: Choking -- on marbles, small parts, balloons and tiny balls -- remains the leading cause of deaths involving toys. Tricycles, scooters and other riding toys are involved in a substantial number of injuries.
Q: When are children first exposed to toy hazards?
A: Infants can become tangled in the strings of toys draped across cribs. Don't buy a crib toy with strings longer than 12 inches. In addition, toys with elastic can be hazardous to young children.
Q: Are crib gyms safe?
A: Yes, as long as the child isn't able to become tangled in them. As soon as the child can pull himself up on his hands and knees, the gyms should come down to avoid neck injury.
Q: Packaging can have guidelines indicating the ages at which toys are safe. How useful are those suggestions?
A: Labeling such as "for ages 3 and over" often is misunderstood by adults. They sometimes assume it refers to the child's intellectual capacity. Many doting parents (and grandparents), thinking their child or grandchild is above average in intelligence, tend to purchase toys designed for older children.
The labeling actually refers to the makeup of the toy and the fact that it may contain small parts, elastic or strings that cannot be safely handled by children younger than the age on the package.
Also important to remember is that small children often have older brothers and sisters. If toys are shared, it is extremely important to read the labels on all toys for the family.
Q: What about toys without packaging guidelines?
A: Yard sales and flea markets may produce some toy bargains, but keep in mind that many of the available toys may have been manufactured before safety standards were legislated. Some undoubtedly would not be allowed on the market today.
The CPSC says a good overall rule is that children under age 3 should not be given hand-me-down toys. In any event, older toys should be checked for sharp edges and points, loose or small parts, missing parts and loose hardware, such as on carriages and strollers.
Q: What do the federal guidelines say?
A: These guidelines establish a safe size for toys for children younger than age 3. A small part should be at least 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long. Anything smaller can choke a child.
Q: What other tips are valuable?
A: Many toy guns, darts, air rifles and lawn darts are dangerous and should never be near children.
Dr. Matanoski is a physician and epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. She is founding director of its Institute for Women's Health Research and Policy.