Don’t play around picking toys

Don’t play around picking toys

The Marietta Times: It’s that time of the year when parents and gift-givers of toys are reminded to keep safety in mind when purchasing toys for youngsters.

Let’s not forget that some of the biggest manufacturers of toys had to recall millions of toys in previous years due to surface paint and parts made in China containing lead. In fact, according to Safe Kids USA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing childhood injury, some 28-plus products alone were recalled just two years ago due to a violation of lead paint standards.

According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, there are approximately 217,000 toy-related injuries treated annually in hospital emergency rooms nationwide. On average, only 15 children under the age of 14 die each year from a toy-related injury. Children age 4 and younger account for 34 percent of those injuries, statistics show, and the leading cause of toy-related deaths is choking on smaller parts.

Please carefully choose toys this holiday season, and remember to supervise children while at play. Safety should be the No. 1 concern.