Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month Prompts COS to Call for Careful Shopping this Holiday Season
Wednesday, December 16 2020 | 09 h 36 min | News
Each year, particularly during the holiday season,
many children end up in the emergency room with toy-related eye injuries. With
the current season in full swing, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) wants
to ensure that Canadians get to see 2021 by taking proper precaution when
considering which toys to give to children.
The impact of Covid-19 on this year’s holiday celebrations adds another layer
of risk to an already stressful season given the increased need to shop for
gifts online.
The Canadian Ophthalmological Society recommends taking the following steps when shopping for toys to ensure children are safe this holiday season:
● Age Appropriate – Ensure the recipient of the toy is of the appropriate age according to the packaging’s recommendations. Keep toys for older children out of reach of their younger siblings.
● Avoid certain toys entirely – Do not purchase toy guns or toys that contain lasers, aerosols (such as silly string), sharp edges or easily removable pieces which could pose a choking hazard. Avoid any flying objects or “long and pointy” toys, including swords, lightsabers, wands, etc.
● Inspected and approved – Check the packaging to confirm that the toy has been inspected and approved by the proper regulatory bodies, including the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
● Provide adult supervision: Keep toys that have potential for injury away from children unless an adult is able to keep a close eye while the child is interacting with the toy.
● Showcase proper usage: Show children how to use the toy, to help prevent them from potentially using it incorrectly, which could create a hazardous situation.
Source: BlueSky Communications
