Although they may not be able to ride them until the spring, the Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests parents should refrain from purchasing scooters for their children this holiday season, as they are the toy that produces the most hospital visits each year.
According to a report published in Clinical Pediatrics, kick scooters popularized by Razor and other companies in the early 2000s have led to a 40 percent increase in injury rates between 1990 and 2011. Injuries from other holiday favorites like toy food, plastic guns and remote controlled devices continued at a steady pace, but hospitals saw a significant increase in scooter-related accidents over the past two decades.
“They continue to be very common injuries,” said Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
Very common indeed. According to hospital records, 195,363 children were hospitalized for toy-related injuries in 2011, up from 121,249 in 1990. That means the injury rate for every 10,000 kids has jumped from 18.9 in 1990 to 26.9 in 2011.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the scooter boom is to blame. The commission cited 52,500 scooter-related injuries and one death in 2013. The report also noted that falls from scooters are the most common type of scooter injury.
The Razor company website suggests that children should wear elbow and knee pads while riding, but Smith said there’s one other precaution every scootering child should take.
“Wear a helmet, wear a helmet, wear a helmet, said Smith.
Smith added that while toy companies and taking more precautions and “are doing a lot more to prevent injuries….. we can do more.”
Dr. Silverman comments
Scooters are fun toys for children, but I’ve seen my fair share of kids who have suffered a sprain or fracture because they fell off their Razor. Foot injuries will heal over time, but head trauma can linger or cause problems for years.
If Santa is going to leave your child a scooter under the tree this year, make sure he also brings knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet. Also, supervise your children while riding, and make sure they stick to the driveway and sidewalk.
Related source: USA TODAY