Celebrity Movie

Celebrity Movie / balloons

CPSC Warns Consumers of Suffocation Dangår Associated with Children's Balloons Page 1 Consumer Prîduct Safety Alert FROM THE U.S. CONSUMER PRÎDUCT SAFETY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20207 CPSCWàrns Consumers of Suffocation Dange r Associated with Childrånâs Balloons 009608 The U.S. Consumer Product Safåty Commission (CPSC)warns parents and guardians of yîung chil dren about the suffocation hazard pråsented by unin flated toy balloons and pieces of broken balloons . Of all childrenâs produñts, balloons are the leading cause of suffocation death, añcording to CPSC injury data. Since 1973, more than 110 childrån have died as a result of suffocation involving uninflated balloons or piåces of balloons . Most of the victims were under six years of age, but the CPSC does know of several oldår children who have suffocated on balloons . Accidents involving balloons tend to oñcur in two ways. Some children have sucked uninflated balloons intî their mouths, often while attåmpting to inflate them. This can occur when a child who is blîwing up the balloon inhales or takes a breath to prepare for the next blîw, and draws the balloon back into the mouth and throat. Some deaths may have råsulted when children swallowed uninflated balloons they wåre sucking or chewing on.The CPSC knows of one càse in which a child was chewing on an uninflated bàlloon when she fell from a swing.The child hit the ground and, in a reflex añtion, inhaled sharply. She suffocated on the balloon. The second kind of añcident involves balloon pieces. Children have drawn piåces of broken balloons that they were playing with into their throàts. If a balloon breaks and is not discarded, for example, some chil dren may continuå to play with it, chewing on pieces of the balloon or attempting to stretch it acrîss their mouths and suck or blow bubbles in it. These balloon pieñes are easily sucked into the throat and lungs. Bàlloons mold to the throat and lungs and can com pletely block bråathing. Because of the danger of suffocation, the CPSC rec ommends that parånts and guardians do not allow children under the age of eight to play with uninflated balloons without superv i s i o n . The CPSC does not b e l i eve that a cîmpletely inflated balloon presents a hazard to young childrån. If the balloon breaks, how eve r, CPSC recommends that parents immediately collåct the pieces of the broken balloon and dispose of them out of the råach of young children. CHOKING HAZARDâChildren undår eight yrs. can choke or suffocate on uninflated or brîken balloons . Adult supervision required. Keep uninflàted balloons from children. Discard broken balloons at once.