While the holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year, it also is a time when there are many hazards for children, including unsafe toys, winter fires, and food-borne illnesses.Kids Health First Pediatric Alliance, a metro Atlanta pediatric alliance composed of 36 independent practices and 196 pediatricians, has released its annual Safety Tips for the Holidays.
Kids Health First Holiday Safety Tips
Purchase only safe toys. In 2007, 18-related toy deaths were reported. Beware of toys with tiny small pieces, especially magnets, which children can easily swallow. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s top five toys to beware of are toys with chargers/adapters, magnets, balloons, small pieces and riding toys.
Be aware of what your children are eating. It’s easy for children to overeat and indulge in sweets while attending many holiday events. Be sure children eat regular meals and sweets in moderation.
Buckle up the booster seat. During the holiday season, accidents increase. Booster seats saved the lives of 425 children under age 5 in 2006. Kids should remain in booster seats until they are at least 4'9" or 80 lbs. Children should always ride in the back seat, and use a child’s safety seat and seat belt in accordance with his/her height, weight and age.
Keep your children warm. When it’s cold, dress infants and children in several layers of of loose-fitting, tightly woven clothing. Be advised that space heaters and fireplaces increase the risk of household fires, as well as the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. During power outages, generators, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal-burning devices should never be used inside a home, basement, or garage.
Prevent fires. Keep candles away from children, pets, walkways, trees, and curtains. Never leave fireplaces, stoves, or candles unattended. Install a smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector in your home. Test them once a month, and replace batteries twice a year. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
Throw away wrapping paper. It can easily suffocate children. Do not throw it in the fireplace, as that can create a "flash fire" by igniting suddenly and burning intensely at very high temperatures. Also, wrapping paper can contain lead as well as metallic materials that can be toxic if burned.
Keep your family safe from food-related illness. When preparing food, wash hands and cooking surfaces often. Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs (including their juices) away from ready-to-eat foods and eating surfaces. Cook foods to the proper temperature. Refrigerate promptly. Do not leave perishable foods out for more than two hours. Remember to keep young children away from the stove.
Keep Christmas trees fresh. Choose a fresh Christmas tree and secure it in a sturdy stand. Place the tree away from heat sources and exits, and water it daily. If you purchase an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled as fire-retardant. If you plan to hang stockings on your fireplace, do not use the fireplace for fires.
Use cautions with Menorahs and when frying latkes. Keep the Menorah and all burning candles out of the reach of children. Do not place the Menorah near draperies or anything that might easily catch fire. When frying latkes, keep baking soda and a cover for the frying pan nearby in case of a grease fire.
Choose holiday decorations carefully. Choose decorations made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials. Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees. Purchase only lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an independent testing lab, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and maintenance. Don't mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation (i.e., using clips, not nails).
www.kidshealthfirst.com
No comments:
Post a Comment