Many of us grew up watching the holiday classic “A Christmas Story,” in which 9-year-old Ralphie Parker pleads with his parents, his teacher, and a department-store Santa Claus to give him a Red Ryder BB gun under the tree. The movie’s recurring joke is that everyone he talks to gives him the same answer: “You’ll shoot your eye out.”
The fact that he does indeed get his beloved BB gun and doesn’t shoot his eye out — though it’s a near-miss when the pellet ricochets — makes for a happy cinematic ending. But in real life, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were more than 235,000 toy-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency rooms in 2008; nearly three quarters of those injured were children under age 15.
With so many toys out there, many parents wonder which are safe. “It’s important for parents to choose a toy that is appropriate for their child’s age, abilities, and the parents’ willingness to supervise use of the toy,” says David Wheeler, M.D., clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In other words, Ralphie’s dad should have thought twice before giving an air gun to his 9-year-old — and then letting him shoot it alone.
Here are some tips for choosing safe toys this holiday season:
Inspect toys for safe construction. Products given to young children should be made of durable plastic or wood. Avoid purchasing toys with sharp, protruding, or projectile parts.
Look for the symbol “ASTM F963,” which indicates the product meets the national safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Read the instructions and the suggested age level on the packaging. Assess whether the item is appropriate for the child’s ability. Age labeling is provided not just for developmental reasons, but also for safety reasons.
Make recommendations to family members and friends about gifts you feel are appropriate for your child.
Keep toys made for older children away from younger children.
When purchasing sports equipment, include protective eyewear with polycarbonate lenses. Sports-related eye injuries can cause permanent vision loss and account for about 40,000 eye injuries annually.
For information on toy and product recalls, visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website at www.cpsc.gov .
Adults should take care too. If you purchase a Christmas tree, remember that when you untie it, the branches and needles can burst forward, hitting and injuring your eyes. As well, improperly uncorking champagne or wine bottles for your holiday feast can lead to an emergency room visit. Be sure to hold a towel in front of the cork and ease it out, away from guests, lest an exploding cork turn into a dangerous projectile. Finally, on New Year’s Eve, stick to public fireworks displays rather than bottle rockets in your yard or driveway.
Many of us grew up watching the holiday classic “A Christmas Story,” in which 9-year-old Ralphie Parker pleads with his parents, his teacher, and a department-store Santa Claus to give him a Red Ryder BB gun under the tree. The movie’s recurring joke is that everyone he talks to gives him the same answer: “You’ll shoot your eye out.”
The fact that he does indeed get his beloved BB gun and doesn’t shoot his eye out — though it’s a near-miss when the pellet ricochets — makes for a happy cinematic ending. But in real life, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were more than 235,000 toy-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency rooms in 2008; nearly three quarters of those injured were children under age 15.
With so many toys out there, many parents wonder which are safe. “It’s important for parents to choose a toy that is appropriate for their child’s age, abilities, and the parents’ willingness to supervise use of the toy,” says David Wheeler, M.D., clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In other words, Ralphie’s dad should have thought twice before giving an air gun to his 9-year-old — and then letting him shoot it alone.
Here are some tips for choosing safe toys this holiday season:
Adults should take care too. If you purchase a Christmas tree, remember that when you untie it, the branches and needles can burst forward, hitting and injuring your eyes. As well, improperly uncorking champagne or wine bottles for your holiday feast can lead to an emergency room visit. Be sure to hold a towel in front of the cork and ease it out, away from guests, lest an exploding cork turn into a dangerous projectile. Finally, on New Year’s Eve, stick to public fireworks displays rather than bottle rockets in your yard or driveway.