(12/12/11) – Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal reminds families to take caution during Home Safety Month (December) as well as year-round. Accidents in homes can occur as a result of everyday activities, and can result in unintentional injuries to children.

Safety Tip Number Two – Toy Safety

Last year more than 180,000 children ages 14 and younger were treated in hospital emergency rooms across America as a result of toy-related injuries. Before shopping for toys, consider the child’s age, interest and skill level; a fun, but inappropriate toy can be dangerous. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal reminds families to keep toys with small parts away from children under the age of three, who can choke on small toys and toy parts.

Additionally, many toys and other home electronics utilize coin lithium batteries, which can be extremely dangerous if swallowed by a child. It can take as little as two hours to cause severe burns once a coin-sized lithium battery has been swallowed, and damage can continue even after the battery is removed.

To prevent such injuries, search your home and any other place your child may go for gadgets that may contain these batteries. Secure such devices out of sight and reach of children, and keep loose batteries locked away.

For more information, on preventing injuries in children, visit the Safe Kids website at www.safekids.org.

Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 0 to 14. Its members include Florence County Sheriff’s Department, City of Florence Police Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the City of Florence Fire Department. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal was founded in 1995 and is led by McLeod Health, and funded in part by the McLeod Health Foundation.