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Intro: This is Weekly Dose of Wellness, brought to you by Memorial Care Health System. Here's Deborah Howell.

Deborah Howell (Host): You know the holiday season is a time for joy and celebration, not unexpected trips to the emergency room. In this podcast, Jen Rodriguez, Injury Prevention Coordinator at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital will share valuable insight on how to ensure a safer holiday season when selecting gifts for children. Welcome, Jen.

Jen Rodriguez: Hi. Thank you for having me.

Host: Great to have you back. So, why is toy safety so important, especially during the holiday season?

Jen Rodriguez: So when it comes to toy safety, everyone's always going to look for that perfect toy. But sometimes, we fail to see the little dangers that comes with that perfect toy.

Host: True that. And what are the most common injuries associated with toys, especially even the perfect toy during the holidays?

Jen Rodriguez: So when it comes to toys and things that we are looking for, sometimes the biggest thing is making sure that the toy is appropriate to the child's age. Lots of times, we think a toy is cute, "Oh, this would work greatly," but sometimes have little hidden things. Like for example, toys that have little objects for little ones that are under three years old, you don't want to give them a toy that has little things that they can chew on and they can cause them to choke or can cause them to lose consciousness, we don't want that. So, looking at making sure it's age-appropriate, that it's safe, that's something that the kids can enjoy, but we're not going to put them at risk.

Host: Yeah. And everyone thinks their kid is so mature that they can ignore that. So, really do follow the guidelines. What are some of the most common hazards with toys that families may not realize?

Jen Rodriguez: Some of the common hazards, like those sneaky little parts. Another thing is some of us go buy the appropriate toy, but what about siblings? You know, if we have a 3-year-old at home and then you have a 10-year-old, and the 10-year-old has something that has multiple, little items. We need to talk to the little ones and be like, "Hey, if you're going to play with this toy, make sure that your brother or sister doesn't get the little parts," because we don't really think about that until later on.

Another thing is batteries. A lot of people think, "Oh, the batteries, they're not going to get to the lid, they're not going to be able to open it." But, you know, little ones are very creative. Looking at toys if they do have batteries, especially those flat batteries, they look like little pills. Those are extremely dangerous if they're ingested. You want to make sure that that little area where the batteries are located, it has a screw that you use a screwdriver to open it up. So that way, it's not accessible to the little ones.

Host: Really good tip. Now, I know we talked about it, but I really think this needs underlining, so let's do it again. How important is it to follow the age recommendations on toy packaging, even if young children seem old enough to play with grown toys?

Jen Rodriguez: We have to follow it. We just have to. Because you know, when it comes to these toys and the manufacturers that make them, they go through testing, they go through different things. So that way, they know exactly what's appropriate for that age. You have to look at development. Also, lots of toys now are creative for specific developments, specific skills. You know, when they're little, you look at a toy sort and you're like, "Oh, we're using hand-eye coronation." When they get older, you're looking at problem-solving skills.

I remember when I was a kid, I had an Elmo with a bunch of different like locks and ties and zippers. And that was great for teaching me just how to tie my shoes, and making sure it's appropriate. You wouldn't give a little kid something that's made for an older child, because they're not going to know what to do with it. And also, vice versa, you don't want to give an older kid something that's made for a smaller child because they're not going to use it. So, it's better to keep it age-appropriate.

Host: Now, what are your top recommendations for safe and engaging toys for infants? And what about toddlers?

Jen Rodriguez: So when it comes to infants and toddler, especially when it comes to development, a lot of people look at milestones. You can always look up online what different milestones your child is at, depending on how many months they are, if they're taller, what's their age. Like I mentioned, that shape shorter. Everybody loved the shape shorter. Everybody had it. I know I had it. And you look at it and you're like, "Oh, they're just putting shapes into a hole." But it's more than that. There's so much behind it. The play when it comes to the hand-eye coordination, that problem-solving even that as an infant toy is a problem-solver, because they have to figure out, "Okay, does the circle go into the square hole or does it go into the triangle hole?"

When it comes to toddlers, toddlers imaginative play is the best thing you can offer to kiddos. Playing doctor, playing kitchen, anything they want to do because the creativity and their minds are just developing so much and they're just soaking it in. And luckily, you know, I've seen toys that just amazed me. Something that you wouldn't even think of. I saw a toy, it was a miniature toy set for a toddler that's a grill. It was adorable. It's a little grill, and I'm like, "I would totally get that."

Host: Super cute. They want to be like dad.

Jen Rodriguez: Yeah, it's that role play. The role playing, and it's just emotional development and just learning through play. Play is so essential. And instead of looking at a screen, doing something hands-on. So, doing something that gets them out there.

Host: All right. Can you explain again? Because it's so crucial why small parts or pieces of toys are such a concern, especially for kids under the age of five.

Jen Rodriguez: So when it comes to small parts, there's such a concern because, you know, little ones don't know. Sometimes they register, "Yeah, it's a toy, but even playing kitchen. Kitchen was one of my favorites. And if you have a small french fry, they're like, "Oh, it's a french fry," they're going to put it in their mouth and it can cause a choking hazard. It can become a choking hazard. And if they're playing and they don't have that supervision and little ones don't know what to do, we can go from bad to worse. So, making sure that little things like that are just out of the way or just avoid having them in your home. But if you do have them in your home, having little items and things like that, put them somewhere away safe. Because they're going to think, "Oh, this looks interesting. Let me put it in my mouth." Children explore everything through their mouth, especially when they're under five. Anything they find, they're like, "Oh, let me bite this and see what happens."

Host: All right. So now, they've grown up a little bit. What types of toys do you recommend for older children to ensure they're both safe and fun?

Jen Rodriguez: So when it comes to toys that are for older children, older kids, again, just games that are problem-solving. One thing that I know that I've noticed is very popular with my nephews is Legos. How they just sit there because they're all older, the way they just sit there and build these Lego structures, it's amazing and it's just the way they sit there and you use your skills to just make something so small, do something so big, and it's just a bigger picture.

Depending on interests, bikes, scooters, anything with wheels is very popular. But making sure they're wearing the helmet, you always need a helmet. Anything that piques your interest, but making sure that it's safe. You know, nothing that has like sharp edges. Things that don't have long cords or strings, because just playing with things like that, it can also cause an injury. You can get it wrapped around your hand or your arm, and it could cause for you to get hurt.

Host: So, how can parents create a safe play environment, Jen? Especially with multiple children of all different ages playing together during the holidays when the cousins come over, it's chaos.

Jen Rodriguez: It is definitely chaos. First and foremost, if you do have kiddos of different ages, if you have older ones, letting them know that, "Hey, you can play with your smaller cousin or your little brother, but making sure you clean up, you know, just teaching them like, "Hey, clean it up," or "Put it somewhere high up so the little ones don't get it." Going over how to use toys correctly. All toys come with instructions. Using them correctly, looking at the parts. If it jams, if it breaks, if it stops working, talk to an adult. Go up to an adult and letting them know like, "Hey, this stopped working." So that way, us as adults can check it out and making sure you're following those labels.

When it comes to something that is battery operated or has magnets or that is electric, those cause a risk as well. Using them correctly. And as soon as it starts malfunctioning, or if the kids say, "You know what? It's not working," again, tell an adult. Adults are your best friend when it comes to building things. Example like building a tent, making sure it's built correctly. Adult checks it out before they start playing with it. Because that way you know it's built correctly. You can't always trust little ones to build certain things, because sometimes they're not built correctly. They think it's built correctly, but then they're just like, "Oh, it's fine."

Host: All right. I have just two more questions for you, Jen. What should parents do if they hear about a recall on a toy their child received as a gift?

Jen Rodriguez: So when it comes to recalls, there are recall lists that are available online. You can go online and search toy recalls. Annually, they get updated and you could just go look through it. Even if it's like bikes or helmets, sometimes they get recalled as well. So, making sure you're on it, keeping on it. If there is a toy that comes with your registry, some of them do come with a registry card, like a little postal card. Register your toy, lots of people are like, "Oh, it's okay. I don't want to do that," those registries are just for recalls. They are not propaganda. Make sure you send it out and you should receive either like a card, a letter, an email, some kind of notification telling you if there is a recall with your toy. Some toys even offer a warranty. If your toy breaks, if something happens to it, send it back and we'll send you a new one, which is pretty nice.

Host: And lastly, what key message do you want caregivers to take away regarding toy safety?

Jen Rodriguez: Keeping in mind that toys are made for certain ages for a reason. We want to encourage play. Play is such an undervalued skill and learning tool. They'll use anything. It's funny how they don't have a certain toy, but they want to copy you. Again, the little girl, I was surprised, they see that someone's cooking on the grill, they'll get a table and get a spoon and you'll see them acting like they're cooking. You know, just mimicking those things.

Letting them also choose something. A lot of parents think, "Well, I think this is the best toy." Sometimes they want to try something new. You know, if it's age-appropriate. You want to go over everything if you're not sure looking at toy reviews. Also, some people look at toy reviews and you know, "It's not the best toy. It's not the best for my child." And also even with ages, everyone's different. And letting them just explore. A lot of people think, "Oh, well, this child's at this stage, they need to use this." It's like, "No, let them be free. Let them explore and have fun."

Host: I absolutely love that message. Thank you so much, Jen, for your time and your expertise today. I learned a bunch, and I know our listeners did too. We really enjoyed having you on the podcast.

Jen Rodriguez: Thank you guys so much. Always happy to be here.

Host: And if you'd like to learn more about holiday safety, please visit millerchildrens.org/injuryprevention. That's all for this time. I'm Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.