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Holiday Safety Issues
by Susan E. Davis
reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.
At the risk of sounding like the Grinch, as a new parent I was startled to realize how the holidays can usher in an alarming list of safety hazards along with all the good cheer and glad tidings. New toys, festive plants, the ever-present candy and drink, Christmas lights, candles, ornaments on the tree--even the tree itself!--all can spell danger, especially for young children. Here are some things to watch for:
- Avoid tinsel, which often gets its gleam from lead-based paint, and angel air (that airy spun-glass stuff that some people drape on trees), which can irritate the skin and eyes.
- Keep holiday plants out of the reach of children. Yew berries, mistletoe berries, and holly berries are toxic, while mistletoe leaf juice can cause stomach upset (so can evergreen needles, so be sure your child isn't munching on the Christmas tree).
- Make sure your tree stand is wide-based and sturdy, to reduce the chances of toppling over.
- Don't let a live tree get dried out--use a tree stand with a water reservoir, and keep it filled.
- Place unbreakable, non-toxic ornaments on the branches within a young child's reach.
- Inspect light strings for frayed wires and broken plugs.
- Keep all berry-laden decorations far out of the reach of children, and check the floor often for those that have fallen off.
- Be diligent about keeping choking hazards, drugs, and alcohol out of the reach of small hands. When you're at other people's homes or entertaining a crowd at yours, it's a good idea to assign a designated child watcher. That can be you, your spouse, a friend, or a relative, but whoever it is has to be: a) sober, b) experienced with children, and c) relieved of all other distracting duties, even washing dishes.
- Be extremely careful about the safety of the toys your children receive as presents--even if you have to wound a few well-meaning gift-givers' feelings. And remember even if their own toy chests are hazard free, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers still can be at risk if they have access to their older siblings' playthings.
- Ban young children from the kitchen when the action gets frenetic there, or at least designate a good child watcher.
- Place lit candles well out of the reach of children.
- If you've got a teenager in your fold, be realistic about the possibility that alcohol may be served (openly or not) at some of the holiday parties he might attend. Although you may face a session of sullen eye-rolling, repeat your lecture about the dangers of drinking--especially drinking and driving--and make a pact to pick him up, no questions asked, if he finds himself in a situation where he or his designated-driver friend has imbibed a few.
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Created December 10, 2000
Reviewed December 14, 2000
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