Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today called on the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) to investigate why toy-related child injuries requiring emergency room visits have increased 25 percent since 2005 and make recommendations to reduce such incidents.

            The information is in a recently released CPSC toy safety report. Blumenthal said he is especially concerned that 18,000 more children under 5 visited emergency rooms for toy-related injuries in 2009 than in 2005, according to the study.

            “The startling upsurge in emergency room visits for toy-related injuries -- 25 percent since 2005 -- is deeply disturbing, requiring further analysis and study,” Blumenthal said. “With the holidays upon us, parents and regulators need to know why toys are sending more and more kids -- especially those under 5 – to emergency rooms. This increase is intolerable -- turning playtime into hospital time.

            “I am calling on CPSC to investigate and identify the reasons for this significant rise in serious injuries involving toys. CPSC must use its findings for recommendations, which may include tougher regulation and better parent education.”