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Holiday
Safety Tips, 2005
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tips to a friend
The holidays are an exciting time of year for kids, and to help
ensure they have a safe holiday season, here are some tips from the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Please feel free to excerpt these
tips or use them in their entirety for any print or broadcast story,
with acknowledgement of the source.
Trees
- When purchasing
an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant."
- When purchasing
a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are
hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles
do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin,
and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
- When setting
up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable
heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block
doorways.
- Cut a few inches
off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood. This allows for
better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying
out and becoming a fire hazard.
- Be sure to keep
the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees
out rapidly.
Lights
- Never use electric
lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity
from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
- Before using
lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified
for outdoor use. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks
or insulated staples, not nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights
to remove them.
- Check all tree
lights-even if you've just purchased them-before hanging them on your
tree. Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires,
broken sockets or loose connections.
- Plug all outdoor
electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters
to avoid potential shocks.
- Turn off all
lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short
out and start a fire.
Decorations
- Use only non-combustible
or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial
icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.
- Never use lighted
candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable
holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
- In homes with
small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp
or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the
reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small
pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt
a young child to eat them.
- Wear gloves to
avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel
hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation
while decorating with artificial snow sprays.
- Remove all wrapping
papers, bags, paper, ribbons and bows from tree and fireplace areas
after gifts are opened. These items can pose suffocation and choking
hazards to a small child or can cause a fire if near flame.
Toy
Safety
- Select toys to
suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended
child. Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards 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.
- To prevent both
burns and electrical shocks, don't give young children (under age
ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead,
buy toys that are battery-operated.
- Children under
age three can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government
regulations specify that toys for children under age three cannot
have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.
- 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.
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 by a young child's exploring
hands.
- 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
the homes you visit may not be childproofed. Keep an eye out for danger
spots.
- Keep a laminated
list with all of the important phone 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 national Poison Help Line,
1-800-222-1222.
- Traveling, visiting
family members, getting presents, shopping, etc., can all increase
your child's stress levels. Trying to stick to your child's usual
routines, including sleep schedules and timing of naps, can help you
and your child enjoy the holidays and reduce stress.
Fireplaces
- Before lighting
any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations
from fireplace area. Check to see that the flue is open.
- Use care with
"fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on
wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal
irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.
- Do not burn wrapping
papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite
suddenly and burn intensely.
2005 - American
Academy of Pediatrics
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