Tips for Selecting the Right & Safe Toys

Tips for Selecting the Right & Safe Toys

Question: What should I be concerned about as it relates to holiday gifts and toys with my special needs child?

Answer: All kids love new, cool, fun things which includes toys—this includes kids with special needs and children with disabilities. As a parent it’s not always easy to find, let alone choose, the right toys for a child with special needs. How do you know if a toy will match a child’s abilities and be safe?

Through the act of play, children can experience victories, imagine new worlds and share the joy of learning. But, accidents can happen and rates of accidental injury are higher among children with special needs. This includes children with physical and psychological disabilities, and is especially true for children with cognitive, emotional and social limitations.

While basic safety rules apply to all children, regardless of ability, special attention should be tailored to ensure a differently-abled child truly understands and internalizes how to play safely. In addition, children should also be properly supervised.

Toy safety concerns are crucial as toys can soon turn harmful or even deadly. It should be noted that unless you get an appropriately packaged product from a reputable American manufacturer you may not be getting what you hoped for. Appropriate packaging can ensure that the content originates from its designated source. It is documented that three times as many foreign made products as American made products were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

What further complicates toy safety is that the very packaging that you want to ensure you have can be a safety hazard. Packaging can injure, suffocate or trap your child. It is important that adults take away packaging as quickly as possible. Also be aware of choking hazards such as twist ties, small plastic parts and shrink wrap.

The holiday season is filled with joyous wonder. Taking a few small steps can ensure it is a safe season.

DISCLAIMER: The contents of the Ask the Nurse column (“Column”) such as text, medical information, graphics, images and any and all other material contained in the column (“Content”) are for informational purposes only.  The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your (or your child’s) physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY IN SEEKING CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU (OR YOUR CHILD) HAVE READ IN ANY MEDICAL LITERATURE!

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• Toys“R”Us: Safe Play Tips for Children with Special Needs
• TOY Safety?
• 9 Great Toddler & Preschooler Toys for Kids with Special Needs
• The Upside of Making Your Own Educational Toys
• Are Too Many Toys & Games Hurting Your Child’s Health?
• The Taming of the Toys

This post originally appeared on our November/December 2012 Magazine