Preventing Accidental Injury. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 23, 2009 Contact: Cherie Sage, 785-296-1223, or Daina Hodges, 785-296-0351

For Toy Safety, Follow Manufacturer's Instructions

Safe Kids Kansas offers toy safety reminders

While picking out a child’s toy is an exciting part of every holiday season, keeping safety in mind needs to be on the top of every gift-givers’ list.  Parents and caregivers can make sure they’re choosing safe toys for their children by paying close attention to warning labels and manufacturer’s guidelines. “More than 3 billion toys and games are sold in the United States every year, and most of them are very safe. Warning labels and manufacturers’ instructions tell you how to use the product safely,” says Cherie Sage, State Director of Safe Kids Kansas. “If the manufacturer sets a minimum age or other restrictions, there’s a reason.  For example, a label reading ‘not appropriate for children under 3’ may be present because the toy poses a choking hazard, not because it’s too difficult for a 2-year-old.”

Each year, approximately 217,000 toy-related injuries are treated in hospital emergency rooms nationwide.  But on average only 15 children under the age of 14 die from a toy-related injury.

 “If you buy toys secondhand or get hand-me-downs, visit www.recalls.gov to make sure the toy hasn’t been recalled for safety reasons,” says Sage.  To stay informed, Safe Kids Kansas recommends that parents sign up for emails that will keep them up-to-date on recalls beyond the holiday itself.  “It’s too difficult to get your information piecemeal from TV or the newspaper,” said Sage, “so if you get the emails sent to you each time a recall happens, you’ll be up-to-the-minute and won’t have to worry.” If a new toy comes with a product registration card, mail it in right away so the manufacturer can contact you if the item is ever recalled.  To sign up for recall emails, go to www.cpsc.gov and click on “Sign up for Email Announcements.”

Don’t hesitate to report defects or design features that seem dangerous. “If your child has a close call, the next child might not be so lucky,” says Sage. “Report safety concerns about toys to the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 800-638-2772 or www.cpsc.gov. Your experience could be part of a pattern that might lead to a recall.”

Safe Kids Kansas also recommends:

• Make sure to buy age-appropriate toys.  All toys are clearly marked if they have small parts; do not buy toys with small parts for children younger than age three  (or allow a child under age three to play with those kinds of toys belonging to an older sibling).  Also, avoid building sets with small magnets for children under age six. 
   
• Identify dangerous small parts.  To be sure of a toy’s size, use a small parts tester or the cardboard tube from a roll of toilet paper to identify choking hazards. Do not let small children play with anything that can fit into one of these cylinders.
   
• Buy the proper safety gear.  If you purchase a riding toy, such as a scooter, skateboard, in-line skates or bicycle, remember that the gift isn’t complete without a helmet and appropriate protective gear.  Riding toys should not be used near vehicle traffic, stairs, swimming pools or bodies of water.
   
• Inspect toys to make sure they are in good repair. Check children’s play areas for missing or dislodged parts (such as magnets). Do not let young children play with toys that have straps, cords or strings longer than 7 inches, due to the risk of strangulation.
   
• Actively supervise children.  Caregivers should actively supervise children playing with any toy that has small parts, moving parts, electrical or battery power, cords, wheels or any other potentially risky component. Simply being in the same room as your child is not necessarily supervising. Active supervision means keeping the child in sight and in reach and paying undivided attention.
   
• Practice proper storage.  Teach children to put toys away after playing to help prevent falls and unsupervised play, and make sure toys intended for younger children are stored separately from those for older children. Toy chests should be equipped or retrofitted with safety hinges that prevent the lid from closing on a child who is leaning over the open chest; if a chest does not have safety hinges, remove the lid.

For more information, visit www.usa.safekids.org.

Safe Kids Kansas, Inc. is a nonprofit Coalition of over 70 statewide organizations and businesses dedicated to preventing accidental injuries to Kansas children ages 0-14.   Local coalitions and chapters are located in Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Clay, Coffey, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Mitchell, Montgomery, Osage, Pottawatomie, Rice, Riley, Saline, Smith, Shawnee, Wilson and Woodson Counties, as well as the cities of Chanute, Emporia, Leavenworth, Pittsburg, the Wichita Area (including Butler, Harvey, Sumner and Sedgwick counties) and the Metro Kansas City Area (Wyandotte county and several Missouri counties.)  Safe Kids Kansas a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury. The lead agency for Safe Kids Kansas is the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Visit us at www.safekidskansas.org.