More Holiday Safety Tips

The holiday season is upon us, and for many of us that means lots of celebration and fun. To help ensure that you have a safe and joyous holiday season, here are some tips that can help prevent accidents and illnesses.

Toy Safety

• Follow recommended age ranges on toy packages. Toys that are too advanced could be a safety hazard for younger children.
• Before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully. If the toy is appropriate for your child, show him how to use it properly.
• Be careful of holiday gift-wrapping, like bags, paper, ribbon and bows. These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child.
• Children under age 4 can choke on small parts contained in toys or games and balls with a diameter of one and three-quarters of an inch or less.
• Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.
• Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.

Outdoor Fun

• Make sure gloves and shoes stay dry. If either becomes wet, change into dry ones.
• Cutting down your own tree for the holiday may start a wonderful family tradition. Young children can pick out the tree while an adult does the chopping or cutting.

Food Safety

• Bacteria are often present in raw foods. Fully cook meats and poultry, and thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruits.
• Be sure to keep hot liquids and foods away from the edges of counters and tables, where they can be easily knocked over.
• Wash your hands frequently, and make sure your children do the same.
• Never put a spoon used to taste food back into food without washing it.
• Always keep raw foods and cooked foods separate, and use separate utensils when preparing them.
• Always thaw meat in the refrigerator, never on the countertop.
• Foods that require refrigeration should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours.

Happy Visiting

• Clean up immediately after a holiday party. A toddler could rise early and choke on leftover food or come in contact with alcohol or tobacco.
• Remember that homes you visit may not be childproofed. Keep an eye out for danger spots.
• Keep a laminated list with all of the important numbers you or a baby-sitter are likely to need in case of an emergency. Include the police and fire department, your pediatrician and the poison control center.
• Ask others if they have a gun in their home before you sending your kids over to play. If the answer is yes, you need to make absolutely sure that all guns are stored unloaded and locked - ideally in a gun safe- with ammunition locked separately. Include the question along with other things that you might normally discuss before sending your child to someone's house.

Candles

• Never use lighted candles on or near a Christmas tree, or leave the house with candles burning.
• Use dripless candles to avoid the potential hazard of hot wax; make certain candlesticks and any candle holders are steady and safely out of your guests' path (and out of kids' reach).
• Always keep an eye on lit candles to make sure they don't burn down to the wick.