Toys that are not for young children
Certain types of toys are not for young children because they contain parts or are made of materials that can endanger the child's health and should be avoided in the first years of life.
Body
- Toys with long ribbons and strings can get looped around the child's neck.
- Too loud toys can damage your child's hearing. If you are buying sound toys, make sure they have volume control and set it to a minimum.
- Children can easily swallow uninflated latex balloons or inhale pieces of ruptured balloons, which can lead to choking or suffocation.
- For battery-operated toys, the batteries should be out of the reach of children and should only be handled by an adult. Incorrect installation or mixing of certain types of batteries can cause them to overheat or leak, and poses a risk of burns or poisoning, and a child should not sleep with a battery-operated toy for the same reason.
If a child swallows a battery or you suspect swallowing, seek immediate medical attention (194).
- Toys with magnets - if swallowed, they can cause serious health problems, and swallowing more than one magnet can be fatal, because they can cause blockage or damage the walls of the intestine by attracting each other.
If a child has swallowed one or more of these magnets/toy parts containing them or you suspect swallowing, seek immediate medical attention (194).
