There are billions of toys and games sold each year in the United States. While toys are meant to provide entertainment and fun for kids, they are all too often linked to preventable injuries.

Every year thousands of children ages 14 and under are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries. Children ages four and under account for nearly one-half of toy related injuries and almost 90 percent of deaths.

The leading causes of toy-related death among children are choking, mostly on latex balloons, and injuries associated with riding toys, mostly tricycles. Children can also suffer from strangulation, burns drowning and poisoning from toys.

Children at all ages are at risk for toy injury. To help protect children, follow these tips from the National Safe Children's Campaign:

• When selecting toys, consider the child's age, interests and skill level; look for quality design and construction; and follow age and safety recommendation labels.
• Use mylar balloons instead of latex to eliminate the risk of choking. If you must use latex balloons, store them out of children's reach, do not allow children to inflate them, and deflate and discard balloons and balloon pieces after use.
• Avoid toys with sharp points or edges, toys that produce loud noises, and projectiles (such as darts).
• Toys with strings, straps or cords longer than 7 inches can unintentionally strangle children and should be avoided .
• Electrical toys are a potential burn hazard. Avoid toys with a heating element - batteries, electrical plugs -- for children under age 8.
• Toy cap guns use caps that can be ignited by the slightest friction and cause serious burns.
• Play is most valuable when adults become involved and interact with children during play, rather than simply providing the toys or supervising the activity.
• Teach children to put toys safety away after playing. Ensure that toys intended for younger children are stored separately from those for older children.
• Inspect old and new toys regularly for damage and potential hazards. Make any necessary repairs immediately or discard damaged toys out of reach of children.
• Toys are frequently recalled for safety reasons. Check out the National Safe Kids Campaign web site for more information, www.safekids.org.

Remember that children of all ages are at risk for toy-related injury. Appropriate selection and proper use of toys, combined with parental supervision, can help to reduce the incidence and severity of such injuries.