National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
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- Published on Saturday, 01 December 2018 16:39
December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
The Andrew County Health Department would like to remind you to be safe and play safe this holiday season:
Balloons
Children can choke or suffocate on deflated or broken balloons. Keep deflated balloons away from children younger than eight years old. Discard broken balloons immediately.
Small balls and other toys with small parts
For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.
Scooters and other riding toys
Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast, and falls could be deadly. helmets and safety gear should be worn properly at all times and they should sized to fit.
Magnets
High-powered magnets sets are dangerous and should be kept away from children. Whether marketed for children or adults, building and play sets with small magnets should be kept away from small children.
Button Batteries
When a child swallows a button battery, the saliva triggers and electrical current. This causes a chemical reaction that can severely burn the esophagus in a little as two hours. The scary part is that it may not be obvious at first that there is something wrong, since kids can still breath and act normally after ingesting a battery, though it may seem like your child has a cold or flu. Repairing the damage from battery ingestion is painful and often involves multiple surgeries. Even after a battery is removed, kids can experience terrible side effects to their vocal chords and windpipe.
