CPSC Data Show 13 Toy-Related Deaths in 2011

CPSC received 13 reports in calendar 2011of toy-related deaths among children under 15 years, according to an agency report made available November 29. Only one victim was over 12. Asphyxiation accounted for seven deaths and drowning for three. CPSC said the figures were in line with those from the year before: 11 of 19 from asphyxiation and five from drowning. Products and types of deaths were:

• Balloons: choking/aspiration – 3
• Non-motorized scooters: motor vehicle involvement – 2 (one was the youth age 12-14).
• Tricycles: drowning – 2
• Balls, other: drowning – 1
• Crib musical toy: traumatic asphyxiation – 1
• Inflatable toys: fall – 1
• Toy baseball bat: choking/impaction – 1
• Toy boxes: hanging – 1
• Toy not specified: positional asphyxiation – 1

Meanwhile, NEISS data show an estimated 262,300 injuries in 2011 for all ages. The agency said that the increase from the roughly 251,700 in 2010 was not significantly significant. The same is true, it explained, for the trend from 2007, when there were approximately 232,900 injuries.

Since 1997, the number of injuries has topped 250,000 twice, according to a chart in the report: in 2000 and 2011. The number has risen every year since 2004’s 200,000. In the chart, the trends for those over 15 and over 11 mirror trends for all ages. That link is absent for children under 5.

A large majority, 193,200 (74%), of injuries involved children under age 15. Similarly, 184,100 (70%) incidents involved those age 12 or younger. Some 92,200 (35%) were among children age 5 and under. Males accounted for some 154,800 (59%) of the 2011 incidents. Other data included:

• Injuries by body region: Head/face (45%), arm (24%), leg (18%), other (13%)
• Injuries by type: Other (31%), lacerations (26%), contusions and abrasions (18%), strains and sprains (13%), fractures (12%)
• Injuries by toy type: Not specified (23%), non-motorized scooters (22%), balls (8%), vehicles (5%).

Download the report from www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/FOIA/FOIA13/os/toymemo11.pdf.

CPSC also released its 2012 toy safety poster. It based on the Operation board game to portray choking risks from balloons, fracture risks from bikes and similar riding toys, and intestinal injury risks from high powered magnets. See the poster at www.cpsc.gov/nsn/toysafety12.pdf.