As a parent in Maryland, you are concerned with the safety of your child. You childproof your home with locks on reachable cabinets, protective covers for electrical outlets and even foam covers for sharp furniture edges. However, one thing that you may be overlooking is the risk posed by your child’s toys.
Newsweek reported on a recent study, which shows the need to educate yourself on the toys your child is playing with. Additionally, toy companies themselves should be looking at their current safety standards and product designs and making changes to ensure that the products they are producing and selling present less of a risk to children.
For example, if your child is riding a scooter powered by his or her feet, the chances of an injury happening are high, according to the study. These vehicles are quite popular and account for a large portion of the 40 percent rise in injuries involving children and toys over a 22-year span. In fact, it is estimated that toy-related injuries are seen by emergency room staff at a rate of one every three minutes. For children between the ages of 5 to 17, 42 percent of their injuries were connected to a riding toy like a foot-powered scooter.
One of the reasons for the high injury rate is that parents like you may not know about toys that have been recalled. Researchers say that consumer reports can alert you to issues with toys out on the market shelves and help you choose toys that have a lower injury risk. For young children, one big problem is toys that have small parts, which can be swallowed or cause choking.