Chad Abshire

Staff Writer

CHARLESTON —It’s the holidays. And the hustle and bustle of the season of shopping and gift-giving often boils down to getting the newest and coolest toys on the market for the children in one’s life.

However, the newest and coolest toys are not always the safest toys, the West Virginia Poison Center stated.

The WVPC, in a release, reminded shoppers that choking on small parts was not the only risk toys pose. The WVPC stated that everyone should be aware of potential poison hazards when choosing children’s gifts this holiday season.

Carissa McBurney, Community Outreach Coordinator with the WVPC, offered the following safety tips for the holidays:

• Some toys may contain lead. Be careful when purchasing costume jewelry, crafting kits, crayons, and toys made in other countries. Always stay up to date on toy recalls.

• Many toys and other items, such musical gift cards and books, remote controls and ornaments, contain small disc, or button, batteries, which can cause severe injury or death if swallowed. Do not allow children to play with or have access to items containing button batteries unless the batteries are secured in compartments that require a screw driver for opening.

• Products containing tiny magnets, such as desk novelty items and magnetic toy sets, are not recommended for children. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can pinch off sections of the esophagus, stomach, or intestines leading to blockages, infections, and permanent injury or death. Do not purchase magnetic toy sets or desk novelty items if children are in the home.

• Avoid water expanding toys that start off as small objects easily swallowed. If swallowed, water in the child’s stomach will cause them to expand many times larger than their initial size. This can lead to blockages, tears in the stomach lining, and permanent injury or death.

• Check the ingredients in children’s science kits and chemistry sets. Follow specific age recommendations closely and only purchase if they will be used with adult supervision.

If you think a child may have been poisoned by one of these items, call the WVPC at 1-800-222-1222.