When you buy a toy for your child, you don't expect it to cause harm to them when they are playing with it. You think that a brand new item has already passed several safety tests. While this is the case for most products, there are some toys that can pose a threat to children.
According to the American Association of Justice, there are more than 5,000 new toys created every year in the U.S. In 2012 alone, American emergency rooms handled around 265,000 cases of children injured from their toys. Why are these accidents happening? One guess is there's not enough employees at the Consumer Product Safety Commission to test every new toy.
Here are the most common toys that can be dangerous to kids:
Toys with sharp edges or points
A wrong move with a toy having a sharp surface can cause a cut and some serious pain.
Projectile pieces
While these projectiles look soft, firing this toy at close range can injure a child.
Toys with computer circuit boards
If the device overheats, it can burn the child using the toy.
Products made in China with lead paint
Painted toys from China have been known to contain lead, which can poison any child that comes into contact with the toy.
Tiny magnets
These small toys may look fun to play with, but if swallowed, a child's intestines can be blocked, creating life-threatening damage.
Button batteries
These small batteries are used to power electronic toys, but if a child swallows one, it can cause internal burns in the esophagus or stomach.
Small, round objects
Toys, like marbles, are small enough to become stuck in a child's throat, causing them to choke. Unfortunately, this is the most common way that toys kill children.
Even if you pay attention to your children while they are playing, hazards are still possible. Read all warning labels and check for any toy recalls.