A Jacksonville pediatrician is reminding parents to not forget safety when buying toys this Christmas.
Dr. Steven Lillpop with Memorial Medical Group in Jacksonville says “It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and even nostalgia of buying toys for children, but it’s important to purchase toys that don’t bring unnecessary risk with them to the home.”
Lillpop says when shopping for the children in your life, some things to consider in the name of safety are finding age-specific toys, firmly secure all batteries so they aren’t accessible to little ones, avoid sharp edges that could injure a child in a fall.
Go big, small toys with small parts can pose potential choking hazards, and stuffed animals should be well constructed without ribbons, buttons, or loose parts that can come off.
Lillpop says “The last thing doctors want is an emergency department trip as a result of playtime.”
He also says to pay attention to the child’s developmental level when choosing toys and their ability to play with or even understand how to use the toy.
Definitely check labels and follow the manufacturer’s instructions especially for those toys that require you to put them together.”