Holiday Hazards

Keeping children safe during the holidays:

Festive Foods

• Keep nuts and candies well out of reach
• Remind visitors to keep any alcoholic beverages out of reach
• Check the ingredients before giving anything to your child

Christmas Trees

• Pine needles can pierce skin or become lodged in throats, they can also cause a fire risk
• Ensure your child cannot pull the tree over

Decorations

• Place decorations with small detachable pieces up high
• Ensure heavy or fragile decorations cannot fall off onto your child
• Knowing which Christmas plants are poisonous - and keeping them well away.
• Ensure lit Menorahs and Christmas candles are constantly supervised, out of reach, and in a secure place
• Remember candy canes are a choking hazard as well

Toys

• Check toys thoroughly before passing to your child
• Ensure they are age appropriate
• Have not been recalled
• Do not have cords or ribbons which could pose a strangulation risk
• Do not contain sharp or jagged edges, or small easily detachable parts
• Are non-toxic
• Keep track of and dispose of all toy packaging (especially the small wires and plastic tabs used to hold the toy in place)

Sourced from What's Up Kids magazine, 2007 Holiday issue