While we usually think of children and toys as being a natural, happy pairing, certain
precautions should be taken to ensure that only the appropriate things reach the hands of
the very young child.
Although your choke tube will help identify potentially hazardous pieces,
nothing can take the place of close parental supervision, common sense, and knowledge of
child safety.
Toys intended for children over three years of age should be kept out of
the hands of children under three.
This is because toys designed for older children often contain
small parts, which younger children instinctively put into their mouths, sometimes leading
to choking and tragic consequences.
Small things can be dangerous in the hands of young children. Because of
this fact, federal regulations on toy safety state that no toy intended for use by
children aged from birth to three years shall contain small parts. These are defined as
parts that will fit entirely within a special small parts cylinder in any way without
being compressed.
This cylinder was designed by the consumer product Safety
commission based on recommendations from the toy manufactures of America and the American
Academy of pediatrics. Its use within the toy industry has been very effective in reducing
choking accidents caused by small parts.
