Happy holidays! It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It is also a great time to talk about how to keep our kids safe during the holiday season. Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to the holidays and young children:
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Gates:
- Chilly weather is finally upon us! Keep fireplaces gated in order to keep curious kids (humans not goats!) out of harm’s way.
- If you have little ones in the home, you should also place a gate around the Christmas tree. Christmas trees can easily fall over if pulled on. A gate around the Christmas tree can keep children at a safe distance and reduce the risk of accidents.
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Toys:
- Toys are fun, but sometimes can pose a risk to children. Avoid toys with magnets as swallowing magnets can be life threatening.
- Keep an eye out for choking hazards. Any toys with small parts should be kept out of reach of any children younger than three years old.
- Use caution with toys or other devices containing button batteries. Ingestion of a button battery is very dangerous and warrants evaluation in the emergency department immediately.
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Stocking hangers:
- Who doesn’t love hanging stockings? But – avoid using weighted stocking holders that sit on the fireplace mantel or shelf if you have young children in the house. Young children are notorious for pulling on stockings (more curiosity at work!) and if the stocking is being held by a weighted holder the holder may fall and hit the child in the head. The safest option with this age group is to use stick-on hooks and save the more stylish weighted holders for future years.
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Greenery:
- If you are using an artificial tree, always double check that the tree is labeled “fire resistant”.
- Keep potentially poisonous plants away from children (i.e. holly, mistletoe, amaryllis, poinsettia, Brazilian pepper, Jerusalem cherry).
Holidays are great, but please stay alert during this joyful season in order to keep your kids safe and out of harm’s way. Here’s to a wonderful (and careful) holiday season!
Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care opened in 2006 in San Antonio, Texas. With multiple locations in San Antonio and Dallas, they are open seven days a week with extended evening hours and see walk-in patients or through an online check-in system. They accept most commercial insurance and Medicaid plans. More information about Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care can be found at www.littlespurspedi.com.
