Health

A weekly column prepared by Dr Balwant Singh’s Hospital

Of girls, boys and safe toys

By Dr Santosh Mhetre

Ever found yourself in a children’s toy store… surrounded by tens… maybe hundreds of toys… with all sorts of attractive colours… but not knowing which one would be the right one for your child?
When all of a sudden, a toy seller appears out of nowhere to try to convince you to buy a toy… usually an expensive one… without even asking you if your child is a boy or a girl, what do you do?
After a few moments, you actually start believing the seller, and you’re only seconds away from paying for a toy with no guarantee that your child will like it.

Is that you? Then, welcome! I will help you avoid such unpleasant moments. You’ll know exactly what toys are right for your child from now on, and you won’t have to listen any more to a salesman’s predefined ‘convince to buy a toy’ script.
You are the one who knows your child best and you are the only one capable of choosing the right toy for him/her.

What’s the best toy for your kid?
Just watch your child closely to determine his preferred activities, skills level, preferred brand(s) and movie(s), and so on.
Based on these observations you can get a clue on what types of toys your child would prefer.

Factors to consider when choosing toys for children:
1. Child’s age – This is very important. If you buy toys too advanced for your child’s age, chances are that he might get injured.        
Here are some age-specific guidelines to keep in mind:

For Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
* Look for toys that are sturdy enough to withstand pulling and twisting. Make sure that eyes, noses, buttons, and other parts that could break off are securely attached.
*  Make sure squeeze toys, rattles, and teethers are large enough that they won’t become lodged in a child’s mouth or throat, even if squeezed into a smaller compressed shape.
*  Avoid toys with cords or long strings, which could present strangulation hazards to young kids.
*  Avoid thin plastic toys that might break into small pieces and leave jagged edges that could cut.
*  Avoid marbles, coins, balls, and games with balls that are 1.75 inches (4.4 centimetres) in diameter or less because they present choking hazards.

For school-going child:
Bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and inline skates should never be used without helmets that meet current safety standards and other recommended safety gear, like hand, wrist and shin guards.
Nets should be well constructed and firmly attached to the rim so that they don’t pose strangulation hazards.
Toy darts or arrows should have soft tips or suction cups at the end, not hard points.
Toy guns should be brightly coloured so that they cannot be mistaken for real weapons, and kids should be taught to never point darts, arrows, or guns at anyone.
2. Gender – Any detail that may make the toy look like an other gender toy than that of your child will make the toy undesired.
3.  When your child is playing with his friends, watch to find out if he manifests interest in any of his playmate’s toys. If he does, then it’s very likely that he would like to have a toy similar the one his friend has.
4.  Sometimes, a child tells his parents what toy he wants, thus saving them from a lot of hard work. But don’t count on this. Some children aren’t very keen to talk with parents unless they really want a certain toy.

5.  Safety – This is the most important factor you must consider whenever you need to decide what toy you should buy for your child.
Unfortunately, this is also the most overlooked one. Usually, parents forget to check if the toy they chose for their children is safe.

6.  Is it educational?
 It’s a good thing if the toys you choose for your child can help him/her develop new skills.
And please remember that the age difference between you and your kid is at least 20 years. Just because you liked a toy when you were a kid doesn’t mean that your child will love it too. Children from different generations like different types of toys.

Pay attention to how you give your kid the toy
Once you have a toy to offer, don’t do it in a “Here’s your toy. Now go and play with it” manner. It won’t mean a thing for your kid, and next thing you know, that toy will end up at the back of the cupboard.
Instead, try to anchor good feelings to this event and the toy. Make a game out of it.
Hide the toy somewhere where s/he can find it, and encourage her/him to look for it. Laugh with your child, search for it together… And when the s/he finds it, don’t leave her or him to play by themselves. Your job is not done yet.
Get further involved in the play. Make it the fun of a lifetime. A parent is a child’s first and best friend. So be a good friend, and a good parent.
It’s not very difficult. It’s not easy either. But it can definitely be fun!
In the list of things a parent must watch for, the child’s hygiene ranks top. And although some children don’t like it, you can make taking a bath fun with a few bath toys and love.
When you hear girls’ toys, the first thing you think of are toy dolls. But when we say boys’ toys, we mean robot toys or toy trains.

Dangerous objects

 It’s important to keep your kids away from the following :
* fireworks
* matches
* sharp scissors
* balloons