(Radio Iowa) – An emergency physician is urging Iowa parents and anyone else buying gifts for children this holiday season to closely follow the labeling and to only purchase toys, crafts and sporting goods that are age appropriate. Dr. Benjamin Orozco, with Gundersen Health System, says pay close attention to the packaging for age recommendations, but he stresses, that shouldn’t be the only deciding factor. “When you’re shopping for a toy, you need to consider all the kids in the house, not just the recipient of that toy,” Orozco says. “Disasters are rare, but there are about a dozen kids a year in the United States that die from a toy, and maybe 250,000 kids who get injured in some way by toys.” It’s crucial to use common sense when buying gifts for children, he says, especially if there are younger siblings in the house.

“We know that the most vulnerable for the catastrophic injuries from choking and ingestion are kids four and under, especially that toddler range where they’re going to be putting things into their mouth,” Orozco says, “and that accounts, unfortunately, for a few deaths every year from choking on a small piece or wrapping or a piece of a toy.” The hazards are different for older children and teenagers, and a full complement of safety gear is a must for many purchases. “Scooters account for most significant injuries. Think of your broken wrists, your bumps, bruises, but also sometimes significant head injuries,” Orozco says. “My advice is to put the safety equipment right with the toy. When you buy a scooter, it should come with a helmet and any other safety equipment that you want used with that item.”

He says agencies like the Consumer Product Safety Commission do a great job of keeping dangerous toys off the shelves, but occasionally, something will slip through. “There were some very powerful magnets that came out, they’re fun, teenagers can use them. They would stick together and if a small child ingested two of them, they could stick together and pin pieces of the intestine together, and their intestines would actually burst as a result of that,” Orozco says. “It’s really rare that something like that makes it onto the market before the dangers are recognized, but it does happen.” Some new toys are still coated with hazardous lead-based paint, typically items being imported from other countries, so beware. Orozco encourages the purchasing of games, balls, and other activity-related toys that get kids outside to play, to stimulate their minds and their bodies.

Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.