December is a popular month for gift-giving with friends and family. Whether you’re a parent, uncle, aunt, grandparent or godparent, it’s critical to consider whether that toy in your shopping cart is safe and age-appropriate for the child receiving it.
In 2022, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) received 11 reports of toy-related deaths among children 14 years of age or younger, according to the CPSC’s Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries Calendar Year 2022 report. Roughly, 209,500 toy-related injuries in 2022 were treated in emergency departments. Children 14 years old and younger accounted for the largest percentage of injuries (76%), while children 4 years old or younger accounted for the least (38%). Just this year, CPSC with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, seized more than 1.1 million dangerous or illegal toys. Of those, nearly 101,000 toy seizures were lead-related.
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