Use Caution When Choosing Gifts For Children

December Is Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Before you stand in interminable lines or drive miles to find that "must-have" gift, remember to pay attention to not only what is hot but what is safe, experts say.

Parents and relatives who dote on children spend much of their toy budget in November and December, dropping an average of $350 per year per child on toys, says Colleen McMillen, a spokeswoman for the Toy Industry Association.

An age-appropriate toy can reduce the chances of choking, strangulation, or other hazards, and head off an emergency-room trip.

Experts on safety support Safe Toys and Gifts Month in December.

In the most recent statistics, 25 children in the United States died from toy-related accidents in one year. And 255,100 toy-related injuries were serious enough to warrant treatment at emergency rooms, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Thanks partly to federal oversight, toys have become less risky.

"By and large, there have been improvements in toy safety," says Jennifer Mueller, a spokeswoman for the National Association of State Public Interest Research Groups.

Still, accidents can happen.

Parents Should Watch Children with New Toys

Choking is the most common cause of toy-related injury. At least six children choked to death in one year alone, the CPSC reports.

The agency requires toy manufacturers to meet safety standards and to label certain toys that could be hazardous for young children.

For instance, toys that would be dangerous for young children are required by the CPSC to be labeled with warnings.

A good rule of thumb when buying for children under age three is to pass up anything with a diameter small enough to fit into an empty toilet paper tube, Mueller says.

"That should be considered a choke hazard for young kids. That tube is about the size the Consumer Product Safety Commission uses in its tests," she adds.

If a child is under age three, avoid marbles, small balls, and games with balls that have a diameter of 1.75 inches or less. And do not buy toys with sharp edges or points.
Also, beware of balloons. Broken balloons are particularly dangerous because they can block a child's airway if swallowed.

"Every single year we have found balloons marketed to young children," Mueller says.

To further minimize risks, shoppers should pay attention to warning labels. Parents often think their child is smarter than the average three-year-old, so they buy an advanced toy and ignore the label, Mueller says: "Even smart kids still put things in their mouth."

McMillen agrees that many accidents happen because the toy is inappropriate for the age of the child, or the parent is not paying attention while the child is playing with it.

"We always stress parent involvement and supervision while playing," she says.

Look for Dangerous Materials; Buy Protective Gear

The task of vigilance can get tricky because not all toys may appear in stores with labels. That is especially true of toys tossed into a bin, unpackaged. There's nothing wrong with buying them, Mueller says, but check for loose or small parts that could choke a child.

For children aged three to five, avoid toys made of thin, brittle plastic, the CPSC suggests. If you're buying art materials, look for a label that says ASTM D-4236. This means a toxicologist has reviewed the material and, if necessary, added a caution label.

For older children, bicycles, scooters, skateboards and inline skates should come with protective gear. Give a CPSC-approved helmet with a bike; a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads with a scooter or a skateboard; and a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards with inline skates.

Finally, if buying older children a toy gun, pick one that is brightly colored, or at least has a brightly colored barrel. That way it will not be mistaken for a real gun, the CPSC says.

Always consult your child's physician for more information.

Online Resources

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American Academy of Pediatrics

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Consumer Product Safety Commission

National Association of State Public Interest Research Groups

National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

National Library of Medicine, at NIH

December 2003

Use Caution When Choosing Gifts For Children

Parents Should Watch Children with New Toys

Look for Dangerous Materials; Buy Protective Gear

Sinusitis Can Cause Problems For Children

Effective Treatment Suggested

Online Resources

Sinusitis Can Cause Problems For Children

The next time your child complains of a runny nose, headache, and fatigue, you may have to reach for more than cold medication.

It could be the common chronic problem of sinusitis, a condition that is usually associated with adults.

"It is as common in children as in adults, and when sinus problems get worse, asthma and bronchial problems get worse," says Dr. Jordan Josephson, a New York City otolaryngologic surgeon who specializes in pediatric care.

Sinusitis is characterized by inflammation of the nasal passages. It can be caused by any number of problems, from a cold to allergies to an infection, experts say.

The inflammation narrows the nasal passages so mucus cannot drain properly, causing discomfort and occasionally an infection can develop.

Children can be particularly susceptible to sinus problems because their sinuses are not fully formed until age 12, and their sinuses are narrower than an adult's.

If you factor in any allergies a child might have - as well as environmental triggers like secondhand smoke, air pollution, and exposure to bacteria - that child's susceptibility to sinusitis increases, Dr. Josephson says.

Telltale signs of possible sinusitis in a child include a frequent runny nose with yellow mucus, pain near the cheeks or eye areas, and difficulty staying awake in school, Dr. Josephson says.

Sinusitis in children can produce emotional problems such as irritability. But a child is often unable to convey a sense of discomfort to a physician, says Dr. Alexander Chester, an internist at Georgetown University Medical Center.

"It can be really tough for kids who feel poorly but whose illness is not validated by doctors or parents," Dr. Chester says.

Effective Treatment Suggested

Left untreated, sinusitis can become chronic, lasting for anywhere from three to eight weeks, to months or even years, according to the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases.

Parents should be alert to potential sinusitis symptoms in their children and seek out a physicians help.

"If a cold lasts for 72 hours or less, it's nothing to worry about," says Dr. Josephson.

"But if a child has a runny nose all the time and is home sick once a month, if he's falling asleep in school, getting bad grades or taking his hand and rubbing it up his nose because he can't get relief, you shouldn't dismiss these symptoms," he says.

A pediatrician can prescribe a nasal spray and/or antibiotics if there is a bacterial infection, Dr. Josephson says.

"If after two to four weeks the child isn't better, he or she needs to see a specialist," he adds.

Always consult your child's physician for more information.