A serious danger lies in an old and popular children's game: Following numerous cases of choking and injuries among toddlers, the Hatzala organization has been warning in recent days about the game - which includes small parts with sharp protrusions from all directions.
The game is generally intended for older children, but is often sold in discount stores and markets, manufactured in China, in packaging without instructions for use, without age markings, and without safety warnings.
According to volunteers at Hatzala who have handled several cases in recent weeks, it often happens that older children play a game at home, and then the pieces are left scattered on the floor. Toddlers aged one and two find them, put them in their mouths and can choke.
The organization says that recently they have encountered several serious cases. In one of them, a little girl was evacuated after one of the pieces got stuck in her throat and caused internal bleeding. In another case, which occurred in a private home during Shabbat, a toddler almost choked after putting one of the pieces in her mouth.
According to the rescuers, "The girl simply choked. At the last moment they managed to remove the part from her throat.".
According to medical and emergency officials, the danger is not limited to choking. The sharp structure of the toy parts can also cause internal injuries to the mouth and throat, especially in toddlers.
Hatzala calls on parents to be extra vigilant, to keep games containing small parts out of the reach of young children, and to ensure that every game in the home is age-appropriate. The organization also calls on the organization to increase enforcement against the sale of games without clear safety markings and instructions.
""It looks like an innocent game," the organization says, "but once it gets into the hands of a toddler, it can turn into a life-threatening emergency in seconds.".
