The Dangers of Coin Sized Batteries at Christmas

The gadgets  you buy this year as gifts could pose a real threat for children!

Inside mini remote controls, small calculators, watches, flameless candles, singing greeting cards along with other electronics may be very powerful coin-sized  button batteries – the perfect size to get stuck in  a little ones throat.

The batteries can cause choking, but can also get lodged in the child’s throat triggering an electrical current which can cause a chemical reaction caused by the saliva, this in turn can  severely  burn the childs esophagus.

The best preventative measure you can take is to always check your childs new toys to be sure you are aware of the small parts on the toy and if it contains any small batteries. You can then decide if you think the toy is safe for your little one or not.

Remember children under 3 tend to put everything in their mouth.

Have a Merry Christmas!

The Staff at KidSafe

 

Toy Safety This Christmas

While your children are most likely making their list for Santa and their eyes may light up over all the shiny toys on the market this time of year – you need to remember that some of these items account for hundreds of thousands of injuries each year. In 2009 alone, it was reported that there was an estimated 181,900 toy-related injuries, stating that nearly ½ of these injuries occurred in children 5 or under.

In order to keep your little ones safe please take a moment and read over some great reminders when it comes to kids, toys and safety.

• Kids 3 and under tend to put most everything in their mouth, avoid toys with small parts, they can become a choking hazard.
• Avoid marbles, and small balls that are smaller than 1.75 inches for kids under 3.
• Remember kids 3 and under pull, prod and twist toys, make sure toys with eyes, noses and other parts are secure.
• Keep in mind a child’s age when buying gifts this season
• Get rid of the plastic that toys are wrapped in; it can be a real hazard in the wrong little hands.
• Toys with long strings or cords may be very dangerous to infants and very young kids.
• Always remember projectile toys can turn into weapons and can injure eyes very easily.

It’s good to remember that protecting children from an unsafe toys is all of our responsibilities. Careful toy selection and proper supervision of kids while they play is the best way to make sure they do not get injured while playing.

Now go have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and remember its always more fun to play with a friend, so this Christmas get on your knees, crawl around, enjoying the new toys and best of all enjoy the smile you’ll see on your little ones face while you play with them.

Merry Christmas: from the staff at KidSafeInc.com.

 

Mattel Toy Recall

Mattel announced recalls Tuesday for 9 million more Chinese-made toys, including popular Barbie, Polly Pocket and “Cars” movie items, and warned that more could be ordered off store shelves because of lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed.

The recalls came nearly two weeks after Mattel Inc., the nation’s largest toy-maker, recalled 1.5 million Fisher-Price infant toys worldwide, which were also made in China, because of possible lead-paint hazards for children.

The government warned parents to make sure children are not playing with any of the recalled toys.

Nancy A. Nord, acting Consumer Product Safety Commission chairman, said no injuries had been reported with any of the products involved in Tuesday’s recalls. She said the recalls were intentionally broad to prevent injuries.

Several injuries had been reported in an earlier Polly Pocket recall last November. At least one U.S. child has died and 19 others have needed surgery since 2003 after swallowing magnets used in toys, the government said.

The recall announced Tuesday include about 9.3 million play sets that contain small, powerful magnets. Among the toys are Polly Pocket dolls and Barbie and Tanner play sets, along with Batman and OnePiece Triple Slash Zolo Roronoa action figures, and Doggie Day Care. Many of the magnetic toys are older and may have been purchased as early as 2003.

Also recalled Tuesday were 253,000 of Mattel’s die-cast cars modeled after “Sarge” in the cartoon movie “Cars” that contain lead paint.

On Aug. 2, Mattel recalled about 1.5 million Chinese-made Fisher-Price toys — including characters such as Dora the Explorer, Big Bird and Elmo — that contain lead paint. In June, about 1.5 million Thomas & Friends wooden railway toys, imported from China and distributed by the RC2 Corp. were recalled because of lead paint.

Lead is toxic if ingested by young children. Under current regulations, children’s products found to have more than .06 percent lead accessible to users are subject to a recall.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which negotiated details of Mattel’s recalls, reported that in the previous recall of Polly Pocket play sets Nov. 21, 2006, three children had been injured by swallowing more than one magnet. All three suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery.

When more than one magnet is swallowed, they can attach to each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage, which can be fatal.

In March 2006, another toy company, Mega Brands Inc., recalled 3.8 million Magnetix magnetic building sets after one child died and four others were seriously injured after swallowing tiny magnets in them.

Child Safe Gift Buying Guide

Children are always excited to receive gifts and toys during the holidays. Unfortunately, some toys can pose a safety hazard.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 110,000 children under 15 years of age are treated for toy related injuries each year.  Half of these injuries are among children younger than 5 years of age and could have been prevented.  Help ensure a safe, and happy holiday season by always keeping these age appropriate safety guidelines in mind when choosing gifts for your children.

Under 3 Years Old

• Avoid toys with small removable parts or parts that could fall off. These can be a choking hazard.
• Look for sturdy construction on items with small parts such as Teddy Bears.
• Watch for items that can be compressed to a size small enough to be put in a baby’s mouth such as a squeeze toy.
• Toys with strings, straps, or cords longer than 7 inches can be a strangulation hazard.
• Avoid teethers or soft plastic toys with chemical components such as Pthlates which can be toxic.

Under 7 Years Old

• All toys should be free of sharp glass or metal edges and should not have parts that could break to expose them.
• Avoid shooting toys such as Air rifles, Arrows, BB guns, Dart guns, Missiles, etc.
• Avoid Chemistry sets or Art kits that could contain toxic chemicals.
• Avoid Electric operated toys with electrical or moving parts that are not enclosed.

All Ages

• Always read labels for age recommendations
• Always read the instructions for proper toy use
• Avoid toys that produce loud noises that could impair a child’s hearing
• Immediately discard plastic wrappings, which can lead to suffocation.

By following these simple guidelines and using a little common sense while toy shopping you can avoid accidents and make your holiday a safe one.