Emergency Room Visits Associated with Toy Accidents Increase in Waldorf, MD
It is Easter time; a time in which families gather together to hunt for Easter eggs and enjoy multi-colored toys. Though this family-fun pastime has been celebrated for years, sometimes these celebrations can put children at risk. According to a study published by the journal Clinical Pediatrics, researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have found that in the United States, children are treated in the emergency room for a toy-related injury every three minutes. This is roughly 66,000 children under the age of 3 years old annually.
Each Toy Presents Different Hazards Depending on Age and Maturity of Child
According to the study, which evaluated the statistics on consumer product injuries and hospital visits within a hundred hospital network, children consistently wind up in the emergency room because of a specific type of hazard associated with the age of the child. For example, toy-hazards associated with young children relate to choking hazards presented by smaller pieces within small toys. In young children under the age of 5, an estimated 14 incidents per day involve children choking on tiny toy parts.
Older Children are More Likely to be Injured from Riding Toys, Foot-Powered Scooters
Older children, who are more mobile, find themselves injured in incidents involving ride-on toys such as scooters, tricycles, and wagons. Of the injuries sustained by children between the ages of 5 and 17, riding toys accounted for 42%. 46% of these riding toys led to injury due to falling, while 22% of these injuries from riding toys were due to collisions. Riding toys and injuries associated with them have risen since 2000 with the innovation in foot-powered scooters. Foot-powered scooters are responsible for injuries every 11 minutes, and the study found that throughout the duration of the study, almost 22 years, the injury rate rose by almost 40% just due to foot-powered scooters.
In another study published by the Baltimore Sun, the numbers suggested that falls were a more common occurrence and reason a child may end up in a hospital, at almost 80% of all injuries, with the injury affected the head, neck, and/or face of a child.
Dangers of Defective Toys
Toys with defects also have been responsible for plenty of child-injuries. The major problem associated with toys with defects is that even with a recall, not many parents know that the product may be dangerous for their child. There is a greater push to publish more widely and through social media any recall from companies to ensure that toys already purchased with the potential to harm may be removed from the children’s play area.
The Dangers of Saving Toys, Regifting Toys, and Reselling Toys Online
The Baltimore Sun study also finds that the reason why 80% of all recalled nursery products stay in the home is because the items are either saved for younger siblings, the items are gifted as second-hand items to others with new children, or resold online. Without the recall occurring contemporaneously with the receipt of the new product, it is more likely than not that the owners of the product will be unaware of the dangerous characteristics of the product. It is important for anyone who purchases products for their babies checks the product recall list to ensure that the product is ultimately safe.
Charles County, MD Personal Injury Lawyers that Fight for You
Toys present multi-faceted dangers to young and older children. If a toy injures a child, or your child was injured due to a product that has been recalled, it is important to consult with an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer about your possible claim. Please call the Law Office of Robert R. Castro at (301) 804-2312 for a confidential consultation.
