Christmas Safety

HOLIDAY BABY SAFETY By Kimberlee Mitchell, Child Safety Expert & Owner of Boo Boo Busters Professional Babyproofing Service

Making your house look festive can often create safety hazards for young children. If you have babies, toddlers or will be entertaining some little ones over the holidays, get peace-of-mind by babyproofing your home. Here are a few tips for a safe and joyful holiday season:

Every little button, candy and bauble is a choking hazard
Wreaths, ornaments, nativity scenes, and other decorations with unsecured pieces become choking hazards within reach of little hands. Be sure to keep them and any holiday candy dishes, especially those containing nuts, M&M's and hard candies, on high tables or counters. Be sure to clean up carefully after wrapping gifts. Babies love scrap pieces of tape, ribbon and wrapping paper especially foils and plastic wrap.

If You Display it, They Will Climb
Beware of the determined climber who will “MacGyver” a way to get to that shiny snow globe or gleaming candles. Anchor all shelving units, armoires, etc. to a wall stud as they each pose dangerous tipping hazards. Falls is the number accident in households so be sure to have mounted safety gates at stair tops and bottom. Don¹t underestimate the ingenuity of a curious child. She will stack an array of toys to be able to see out the window to spot Christmas carolers or daddy coming home. Screens are not a babyproofing device so be sure to keep windows locked or use window guards.

Babies Can Get Tangled up in the Trimmings
Strings of electric lights are as dangerous as they are attractive to young children, who can easily get wrapped up in the wires and risk strangling or even electrocuting themselves. Tinsel is just as irresistible and nearly as dangerous. If you use these strings or lights of any kind, hang them high and keep your children away from the outlets. Sliding outlet covers are a great way to keep curious kids safe from electric shock.

Babies Can Topple a Christmas Tree in Seconds
Naturally your child will be fascinated by the lights, ornaments and colorful packages. If your tree isn’t anchored securely to its stand, she may reach for a low-hanging bough and pull the whole thing down on top of her.Saying, “No!” too often to a curious and excited toddler can dampen the holiday cheer for you and your little one. Consider setting up your tree and other decorations outside the primary play area and putting up a safety gate to block your child from entering the room. If your tree must be in an accessible area, consider eliminating lights and breakable ornaments from the lower portion of the tree and barricading access to the tree with furniture or an expanded safety gate. When my Chloe was one, I bought a 3-foot Douglas Fir, decorated it with lights and my favorite ornaments and displayed it on a counter, far from her reach.

Beware of Poisonous Holiday Plants
Contrary to an old wives tale, poinsettias are not poisonous to humans. Consuming large amounts of any plant can cause stomach cramping and diarrhea, but no one has ever died or become seriously ill from eating poinsettias.The plant to really beware of this season is mistletoe. Ingesting it will cause severe stomach cramps and diarrhea and can even be fatal. If you decide to hang a sprig over your doorway, make sure it’s well secured and won’t be knocked to the floor where pets and young children could happen upon it.Holly and Pyracantha, also frequently used in holiday decorations, are toxic as well—keep them out of reach. If you suspect poisoning from any plant source, contact your local poison control center immediately.Finally, supervision is always the best measure for accident prevention. Have a safe and blessed holiday season from our family to yours!