Gifts are a big part of holiday celebrations, but each year children are rushed to the emergency room due to unsafe holiday toys, décor, or gifts. To avoid child injuries in your Plantation home, you will want to:
- Avoid staples: Avoid staples and any sharp objects when wrapping gifts. Be careful of ribbons, too, which sometimes have thin pieces of wire to hold their shape and which can cause lacerations if small children play with wrapped gifts. Aim for soft paper and tape when wrapping.
- Remove packaging quickly: Plastic bags, wrap, packing peanuts, and other packaging materials can all pose a danger to children. Plastic bags, packing peanuts, and wrap can pose an asphyxiation hazard while any ribbons, strings, ties, or cords can be a strangulation risk for children. Many children’s toys are wrapped in hard plastic packaging which can have very sharp edges, especially once the item has been opened. Always open these packages yourself and throw out the packing material immediately.
- Check recall lists: Sign up for recall lists when your child gets a new toy or gift. Most manufacturers allow you to easily register purchases for this purchase, so if there is a manufacturer defect you’ll be alerted.
- Consider gift cards: Gift cards let your recipients choose presents they feel comfortable with.
- Don’t leave gifts unattended: Wrapped parcels under the tree look beautiful, but children and pets can tear into them. If you are gifting anything which can be hazardous in the hands of a child and you’ll have children in your home, store the gift somewhere else.
- Always check the gifts your children get: Always check to ensure a toy has not been recalled and has not appeared on “unsafe toy” lists which are published at this time of year.
- Buy age-appropriate children’s gift: A toy which is safe for a seven-year-old may have small parts which could make it deadly for a two-year-old. Always check the instructions and warnings on toys to make sure they are appropriate for your gift recipient.
- Check for unsafe parts: Even if a toy seems safe, carefully look for sharp edges, long dangling strings, and any small parts which can become detached and pose a choking hazard. Take a close look at any toys with batteries, too. If the small enclosure can be opened easily and the batteries removed, this can create a choking risk for small children.
- Shop from reputable brands and stores: It’s not a guarantee, but well-known brands have a reputation to protect, and their recalls tend to be more publicized. If there’s a problem, larger and more respected brands are also more likely to exchange an item or try to make it right.
If your child has been injured by an unsafe toy, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Plantation products liability claims attorney. You may have a claim against a manufacturer who has designed or manufactured unsafe products, and filing a claim lets you seek compensation for your injuries and losses.