Be mindful of the toys you buy you kids for the holidays

healyscanlonveugelergannon • December 16, 2016

Though Chicago residents may have been aware of this at some level, it can now be confirmed by various studies that approximately 65 percent of all toy purchases occur during the holiday season in the United States. For children, unwrapping presents is the highlight of their holidays. But every year, we learn of instances where harmful toys can lead to serious injuries or even death.

Parents should never assume that because a product is out on store shelves that it is safe for children. Awareness of the possibility of danger should stay in the back of a parent’s mind when making purchases of toys for their kids. And even seemingly harmless toys can have dangers that parents are unaware of. For example, on this year’s “Ten Worst Toys for the Holiday Season”, published by the World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. organization, is the “Kids Time Elephant” pillow, a seemingly harmless stuffed animal. Unfortunately, the toy is sold without any warning of possible suffocation to infants, and many parents are unaware of the potential threats these toys pose to children.

Statistics prove that toy safety is a legitimate concern for Americans. In the United States, every three minutes a child is treated in an emergency room for a toy-related injury. In 2014 alone, 251,000 children were injured as a result of their toys. And not all injuries are minor. In fact, between 2010 and 2014 sixty-one children died due to toy-related incidents.

There are consumer safety regulations in affect to help protect consumers from the dangers associated with toys. But the regulations are not failproof. If you or someone you know has a child who was injured or died as a result of a hazardous product, it may be in their best interest to speak with a lawyer familiar with product liabilities to see whether they can be compensated for the incident.

Source: toysafety.org, “W.A.T.C.H. Reveals Nominees for ‘Ten Worst Toys’ for 2016 Holiday Season,” Accessed Dec. 13, 2016

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