With Christmas just around the corner, parents in Perth are being urged to think twice before purchasing some of the season's most popular gifts. Safety authorities have issued a stark warning that items like e-scooters, trampolines, and toys containing button batteries or magnets could pose serious, even fatal, risks to children.
Button Batteries and Magnets: A Hidden Menace
Consumer Protection WA commissioner Trish Blake has singled out products with button batteries as one of the agency's top concerns. "Despite there being a lot of notice and prohibitions on selling products with button batteries that don’t have secure battery compartments, we’re still unfortunately seeing a lot of non-compliant products," Ms Blake stated. She emphasised the extreme danger if a young child swallows one, noting the outcome can be fatal.
Perth Children’s Hospital emergency department co-head, Dr Dennis Chow, explained the medical urgency. "It only takes a few hours of a battery being stuck to cause significant burns to the oesophagus," he said. Authorities recommend parents perform a simple 'drop test' from waist height on any product containing button batteries before wrapping it, to ensure the compartment doesn't pop open easily.
Similarly, high-powered magnets, often marketed as toys, are a prohibited product in Australia. If swallowed, multiple magnets can join together inside a child's body, clamping onto intestines or the bowel and causing severe internal damage that may require years of surgical intervention.
E-Rideables: Not Toys and Governed by Law
Ms Blake delivered a clear message regarding e-scooters and e-bikes: they are not toys. In Western Australia, it is illegal for children under 16 to ride e-scooters. For older teens, she stressed the absolute necessity of purchasing proper safety gear—including a helmet and protective padding—alongside the device itself.
Dr Chow added that safety gear is crucial to prevent injuries ranging from grazes to fractures. He also noted a common pitfall: "Unfortunately, I don’t think parents realise there are speed restrictions for teenagers on e-rideables." In WA, these devices must be limited to 10km/h on footpaths and 25km/h on shared or bike paths.
Battery safety is another critical factor. Lithium batteries can cause fires if charged with incompatible equipment. "If you’re buying a secondhand e-rideable and it doesn’t come with the original charger, make sure you go back to the manufacturer site to buy an authorised charger from them," Ms Blake advised.
Trampolines, Orbs, and Toy Guns: Other Hazards to Consider
While trampolines are excellent for encouraging outdoor activity, they must come with a proper safety net installed securely. Parents should establish strict rules, including constant adult supervision and allowing only one child on the trampoline at a time.
Other risky items include:
- Water-absorbent orbs: These small sensory toys can expand up to 100 times their size if swallowed, potentially causing dangerous blockages in the stomach or intestines.
- Toy guns: Projectiles from these toys can cause significant eye injuries, a scenario Dr Chow has witnessed in the emergency department.
The overarching advice from Consumer Protection WA is to shop locally at Australian bricks-and-mortar retailers. "Often we find that some of those overseas traders are not as vigorous on their compliance with product safety standards," Ms Blake said. This simple step can significantly reduce the risk of bringing a dangerous, non-compliant product into the home.
The warning also extends to online shopping scams during the Boxing Day sales period. Ms Blake urged West Australians to "practice the pause" and verify that any website they visit is legitimate, as scammers actively target shoppers during the festive spending rush.
