Practice safe gift-giving this holiday season

December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month, and as the holidays approach, it’s important to keep toy safety in mind. Opening gifts can be an exciting part of the holiday season for children, but the wrong toys can turn that excitement into fear. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), emergency rooms treated 209,500 toy-related injuries in 2022. To prevent these injuries, CPSC has established standards for toy safety, requiring testing by independent and third-party laboratories worldwide. These standards also include strict limits on lead and phthalates in toys. 

While manufacturing regulations are necessary and helpful, they’re simply not enough to keep children safe. Understanding potential toy hazards, whether they’re part of the product or the packaging, is crucial for safe gift-giving. So, before buying that Barbie Dreamhouse or the latest Hot Wheels, carefully read toy labels and safety instructions to confirm the toys are appropriate for the child’s age and skill level. Once you’ve confirmed that the toys are appropriate, these additional tips can help you choose the safest possible presents:

• Choose toys with sturdy construction. Avoid toys with sharp edges and points, including hard, thin plastic or metal pieces that may be attached and could cause injury.
• Avoid choking hazards. Choose toys that are at least an inch in diameter and two inches in length (about the size of a toilet paper roll) so they can’t lodge in the child’s throat or mouth. 
• Keep older kids’ toys away from younger children. Keep small balls and other toys with small parts away from children under 3, and keep deflated balloons away from children under 8.
• Don’t buy toy jewelry that may contain lead or cadmium. Both are poisonous metals that can cause serious harm to children. Watch out for older painted toys, which may also contain lead.
• Avoid toys with cords or strings longer than 7 inches, as they could pose a strangulation risk for babies.
• Children under 10 should get battery-operated toys, not toys that need to be plugged into an electrical outlet.
• Use caution with toys that require button batteries by ensuring they are not easily accessible. If swallowed, these batteries can become lodged in the esophagus, resulting in serious injury or death.
• Avoid toys with high-powered magnets that are small enough to be swallowed. If swallowed, these tiny magnets can attract each other within the body and cause serious internal injury or even death.
• Include protective gear. Don’t forget a helmet with scooters, bikes or other riding toys.
• Discard wrappings and plastic packaging immediately after gifts have been opened. These are NOT toys!
• Stay up to date on the latest recalls. Every year, dozens of consumer products are recalled because of safety concerns. Check the U.S. CPSC website for the latest information on recalls.

Bethlehem Emmons-Post, MS, PA-C, TPM, is a trauma program manager for UHS Trauma Services, and she encourages everyone to be mindful when shopping for toys. “Helmets and protective gear are a must if your child is getting a new bike, scooter, skateboard, etc.,” Ms. Emmons-Post said. Wearing a helmet while using these toys is the most effective way to prevent head and brain injuries. Prevention and awareness are the key to keeping our community healthy.

No matter how cautious you are, some toys are not worth it, even if they’re advertised as safe and non-toxic. Water beads, also known as jelly beads, hydro orbs, crystal soil or gel beads, are an example. These beads are tiny hard plastic balls made of superabsorbent polymer chemicals and can grow up to 1,500 times their size when they’re placed in water. Young children may mistake them for candy and attempt to swallow them. Ms. Emmons-Post says, “They are so dangerous if ingested and very difficult to take care of entirely, even with surgery.” The beads can continue to grow once inside the body, causing blockages and life-threatening damage.

Educating yourself on toy safety will help reduce the risk of injury and make your holiday season safe. It’s also important to watch your children while they're playing with their toys; supervised children are less likely to have a toy-related injury. If there is an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Remember, make your list and check it twice before you decide what toys to choose this holiday season! UHS Wilson Medical Center is a New York State-designated Level II trauma center and ACS-verified trauma program in the Southern Tier of New York and Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. To learn more about UHS Trauma Services and Injury Prevention, please visit nyuhs.org.