Avoid Christmas Morning ER Trips With These Toy Safety Tips

DAVIDSON, NC — It's Christmas morning and kids are ripping wrapping paper, tearing open boxes and flinging batteries across the room in excitement.

Novant Health Pediatrician Maureen Choi recalls an incident that happened soon after a scene just like that.

"It was an unfortunate event where a toddler got a hold of some game pieces from an older child's game that they got for Christmas and choked on it," said Dr. Choi.

That's one way to ruin the fun of Christmas morning, and Dr. Choi says there are surefire ways to take steps that prevent calamity on Christmas for kids.

"The most common injuries are choking and just various injuries from falling off of things," said Dr. Choi. For example, small pieces like the game the toddler choked on, or falling off a new scooter.

She says keeping a close eye on little kids is essential during the chaos of Christmas morning. "Hopefully parents will be able to keep away small objects from those toddlers who are more likely to put them in their mouths," she said.

If you are giving a child a scooter or a bike, that should include protective equipment too.

"Scooters, hoverboards, bicycles, you name it, roller blades, children will fall off," said Choi. "So parents doing their best and making sure they have a helmet on is the biggest number one priority."

She says unfortunately, that's one of the biggest problems when kids get new dangerous toys.

"I'd say only about 50 percent of them are making sure that they have a helmet on at all times," Dr. Choi said of parents.

She says knee pads, elbow pads and other protective equipment can help prevent serious injuries to kids as well, but helmets are absolutely necessary to prevent head injuries.

Dr. Choi also recommends one more step before gifting anything on Christmas day.

"I always encourage parents to check the consumer product safety products webpage to make sure that there are no recalls on the products they purchased," she said.

It could keep Christmas at home, instead of in the ER.