Toys for a Safer Holiday Season

'Tis the season for parents to be extra cautious about home safety. With the holidays, a variety of seasonal toys, decorations, and other items enter the home and may present hazards to your family.

Here are some ways to keep your family safe:

Toying with Toys

• Make sure toys are safe for little ones. Stay away from toys with sharp edges, cords, or small parts. If a toy is tiny enough to fit through a toilet paper roll, it can cause choking. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to little ones to prevent strangulation.
• Choose battery-operated toys, rather than toys that need an outlet, for kids younger than 10.
• Teach older kids to keep their toys away from little siblings.

Decorations: Potential Danger

• If you set up a Christmas tree, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Keep live trees well watered so they don't become a fire hazard. Artificial trees should be fire resistant.
• Avoid ornaments and decorations that resemble food or are breakable.
• Use step stools, rather than chairs or other furniture, to hang decorations.
• String outdoor lights using hooks or insulated staples, not nails.
• Keep candles away from drapes or anything that may catch on fire. Never leave a lit candle unattended or placed where a small child can reach it.

Entertaining, Made Safer

• During cooking and mealtime, keep hot foods away from the edges of tables to avoid burns.
• Follow cooking instructions carefully to prevent food poisoning.
• Refrigerate leftovers right away.
• Keep guests informed about food ingredients. Food allergies are common and potentially life threatening--such as a peanut allergy. Check food labels carefully for the presence of peanuts or peanut oil sometimes also called arachis oil.

The Loma Linda University Children痴 Hospital wishes you and your family a happy and safe holiday. For more tips on keeping your holidays safe visit us on the Web at www.llu.edu/lluch and click on the Kids Health area.

November/December 2005 Healthy Tomorrow

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The editorial content of this online publication is taken from the print version of A Healthy Tomorrow published by Loma Linda University Medical Center.

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