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Toy Safety Tips for the Holiday Shopping Season

With Christmas and Hanukah just around the corner, the holiday shopping season is almost upon us, ready or not. Before you hit the malls or the internet to make the little ones on your holiday shopping list happy, check out the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's toy safety tips for parents and gift buyers.

CPSC identifies the top five toy hazards as: scooters and other riding toys; small balls and other toys with small parts; balloons; magnets; and chargers and adapters. According to a CPSC News Release, the agency received reports of 18 toy-related deaths in 2007, and over 170,000 children under 15 required emergency room treatment for toy-related injuries in 2007. Most of the deaths were caused by airway obstruction from small toys, while the majority of toy-related injuries were lacerations and abrasions.

CPSC advises gift-givers to "be especially vigilant to prevent the sale or purchase of hazardous products that have been recalled, banned or do not meet current safety standards," and to "make sure their gifts do not include any of the recalled toys or children's products on CPSC's web site."

• CPSC Press Release: Shop Toy Safety Tips Before Shopping for Holiday Gifts
• CPSC Video: Top 5 Toy Hazards
• Are You Buying the Right Toy for the Right Age Child? (CPSC)
• Toy Safety Publications (CPSC)
• Toy Hazard Recalls (CPSC)
• Lead Paint in Toys - Recalls (FindLaw)
• Parenting Tips and Child Safety (FindLaw)
• Accident and Injury Center (FindLaw)

Full post as published by FindLaw's Common Law on November 13, 2008 (boomark / email).