It may be the most wonderful time of the year in a child’s eyes but it can also be downright hazardous: Between sparkly holiday decorations, festive gatherings with family members and friends, and thrilling gifts, the holidays are rife with unusual dangers for young children.
During the holiday season, an estimated 250 injuries occur each day that warrant a trip to the emergency room, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, and the biggest safety risks involve young children.
Part of the reason for the uptick in injuries among young kids at this time of year: “Around the holidays there are a lot of disruptions of normal routines and guests visiting and parental supervision might break down,” says Dr. Gary Smith, president of the Child Injury Prevention Alliance in Columbus, Ohio. Since it’s impossible to be vigilant every second of the day, it’s wise to take extra precautions to prevent holiday cheer from turning to tragedy. Here’s the 411 on some of the biggest holiday hazards for kids, with tips on how to safeguard against them:
Christmas Tree Dangers
You may realize that natural trees can pose a fire hazard if they’re not watered regularly. For kids, there are other risks related to holiday trees: They can pull them over if they’re not well-secured in a stand. Angel hair, which is made from spun glass, can cause eye or skin irritations, according to the National Safety Council, so your best bet is to avoid it. And if young children get their hands or mouths on the electric cords for lights and they have exposed or frayed wires, kids can get burned. The best precautions: Only use lights with intact cords, tape any cords to the floor and block off access to the tree (with a baby gate) when you’re not present, advises Dr. LeAnn Kridelbaugh, president and chief medical officer of Children’s Health Pediatric Group in Dallas.
Because they’re colorful and often shiny, ornaments are also incredibly appealing to young kids — and potentially dangerous. To prevent kids from getting their hands or mouths on them, place ornaments that are breakable or that have metal hooks, small parts or sharp edges high up on the tree. Reserve space lower on the tree for soft ornaments, which are safer for young kids.
[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health.]
Poisonous Plants
People often worry about having poinsettia plants in a home with young kids but these brightly hued plants aren’t as dangerous as you may fear (though they can cause skin irritation or vomiting if they’re ingested). Bigger worries, according to Kridelbaugh, include mistletoe, holly berries and amaryllis bulbs, all of which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and drowsiness in kids (and pets). A reality check: Of the 668,111 plant ingestions reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers between 2000 and 2009, 81 percent occurred among children ages 5 and younger, according to a 2011 study in Clinical Toxicology. Teach your kids never to put any part of a plant in their mouths. But if there’s ever any concern about whether something your child puts in his or her mouth is poisonous, call the national Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.
Button Batteries
A 2012 study in Pediatrics found that battery-related emergency department visits in the U.S. increased significantly from 1990 to 2009, and 84 percent of these involved button batteries; kids ages 5 and younger accounted for the majority of these visits. These days, small lithium batteries (such as button batteries) are used in all sorts of toys, gadgets, electronic devices and even holiday cards (especially those with sound effects). If a child swallows one or stuffs it into an orifice, “the battery has enough charge in it to cause local tissue damage wherever it lodges — and it can perforate the esophagus or nasal septum,” Kridelbaugh says.
That’s why it’s important to keep these batteries stored out of the reach and sight of kids; also, make sure remote control devices have a child-resistant battery compartment that requires a screwdriver to open it. If your child swallows one of these batteries, head to the ER immediately. “This is a potentially life-threatening emergency and the clock is ticking,” says Smith, who is also director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. “There may not be any symptoms until it’s too late.”
[See: The 5 Latest Poison Control Threats Kids Face.]
Magnets
High-powered magnets may be super-cool toys or desktop diversions, but they can be lethal if a child swallows them. In 2014, the CPSC banned Buckyballs, a popular desktop toy consisting of small metal balls that can be arranged into patterns (thanks to their powerful magnets), because if a child swallows two or more, they can fuse inside the body: This could lead to an intestinal obstruction or pinching the walls of the intestine so strongly that it could cut off the blood supply and lead to tissue necrosis (death) and/or perforation. Following a court decision in November, Buckyballs are back on the market, even though the risks to children haven’t changed. If a child swallows two or more, the outcome can be life-threatening or it can lead to permanent bowel problems, Smith warns. His advice: Don’t allow these toys in your home if you have kids under age 10; keep them at your office.
Gift-Related Injuries
Toys with wheels — scooters, skates, skateboards and bicycles — are a huge hit with kids but there’s a learning curve to being able to use them safely, Smith notes. Make sure you supervise your kids closely as they learn how to ride or use these toys. And be sure to give protective gear — helmets, wrist guards and knee pads — with them, advises Dr. Amy Kaji, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, to protect their bones. (Think of the latter as the gift of safety.)
Visitors’ Medications
If you’re hosting houseguests, politely remind them to keep their medications well out of the reach of children, not on the kitchen table or a nightstand. Blood pressure medications, blood thinners and prescription opioids are especially lethal for kids, Kridelbaugh says. “Child-proof caps are really only grandma-proof; they’re not child-proof.” Once again, kids ages 5 and younger are at the highest risk, given that they have the highest rate of unintentional drug-related poisonings, according to a 2012 study in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Party Fare
When young kids get a hold of spiked punch or unfinished cocktails during a holiday party, the results can be frightening and dangerous. “Because of their body weight, children require a smaller dose of alcohol for clinical effects to occur,” Smith explains. “Children have low glycogen stores so when they get poisoned with alcohol, they can get altered mental status along with low blood sugar.” In that case, a prompt trip to the ER is in order.
[See: 7 Health Risks of Binge Drinking You Can’t Ignore.]
To sidestep this risk, keep all alcoholic beverages well out of the reach of young kids. (The same goes for chokable foods such as nuts, popcorn, grapes, hot dogs and hard candy if you have preschoolers around.) “Abandoned [cocktail or wine] glasses need to be picked up and cleaned right away,” Kaji says. During a party, it’s also wise to assign at least one adult (or a babysitter) to supervise the kids so you can enjoy the occasion with relative peace of mind, knowing the young ones will be kept safe.
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Hidden Holiday Hazards for Kids originally appeared on usnews.com
