Holidays a Risky Time for Children

The greatest threat to a child’s safety this holiday season may be as close as the decorations on the tree, that concoction cooking on the stove or the goodies on the coffee table.

Emergency room workers who treat children say that home-based injuries from poisoning by mistletoe to burns from an electrical cord increase during the holiday season because of inattentive parents.

“The holiday time is a joyous time of year, but it’s not necessarily a safe time of year,” said Dr. Nancy Schonfeld, head of emergency medical services at the Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles.

Hidden dangers often lurk in Christmas preparations, decorations and celebrations, Schonfeld said.

As families cook their holiday feasts, children can be scalded when reaching up to touch pots filled with hot holiday concoctions such as apple cider. Other burns may result when sparks erupt from unscreened fireplaces, catching children’s clothing on fire or igniting trees.

Screening fireplaces and keeping children away from hot crockery can help prevent injuries, Schonfeld said. Children also should be monitored around electrical cords that bring holiday lights into the season.

“Kids will chew on the cords and get electrical burns in the corner of their mouths that can go on to need plastic surgery,” Schonfeld said.

Decorations such as glass Christmas tree ornaments also should be avoided, as young children might mistake them for candy or be cut if the ornaments break. Fake snow, another decorative favorite, can cause children to choke if too much is inhaled.

Several holiday plants are deadly, including the berries from mistletoe and holly. Poinsettia is commonly believed to be poisonous, but Schonfeld said the poinsettia available for house decoration is not.

Holiday parties may be the last place one would expect danger, but it is because of this attitude that the danger exists, Schonfeld said.

“During the holidays, we have a lot of parties and there are alcoholic beverages around,” Schonfeld said. “Even an ounce of alcohol in a child can be life-threatening.”

Nuts, small candies, and other hard food can cause choking when a child snatches them from a table, Schonfeld said.

“Think of the last holiday party you were at,” Schonfeld said. “I think we’re more preoccupied with the celebration and we should be more concerned with the safety of our kids.”