Don't let holidays become danger days

By David Steinkraus

Wednesday, December 22, 2004 10:44 AM CST

The two cats helped Julie Nielsen when it came to making her home safer for her children. "Cat-proofing was harder than baby-proofing, I think," said Nielsen, 27, who lives with her husband and three daughters on the southern side of Racing.

You don't find many children who can vertically jump twice their length from a standing start. Cats can, of course.

Her wall sockets have the obligatory plastic covers to separate small fingers from electricity, but at this time of year, when homes present more than the usual hazards to children, Nielsen has prepared in other ways.

"I never use candles," she said recently as she showed off her child-proofing. Instead there are electric candles in the window. "We haven't figured out what to do with the cords yet because they're a hazard."

"I'd love to have a real Christmas tree, too, but with the kids ... "

Ornaments and presents Nielsen's rule is that each child picks one ornament and then is allowed to take only that one on and off the artificial Christmas tree. One daughter, for example, showed off the soft, and lightweight, elephant that was her pick.

While she has some glass ornaments hanging lower on the tree this year, that will change next year when the baby will be a toddler. Glass decorations will be hung out of her reach.

As the boxes of ornaments came out, Nielsen said, she did a mental audit of each, deciding what would be appropriate with the children - ages 5 years, 3 years and 6 months - this year. "If it was glass and within their reach, it wasn't worth it."

"I don't even keep the gifts underneath because it's just an attraction," she said.

The children may open their presents only to a degree, the wrapping paper but not the boxes. That keeps small parts and pieces off the floor. Her 3-year-old probably won't be putting small pieces in her mouth, but next year the baby will be crawling. "Next year we'll probably open (presents) at the kitchen counter."

The family's Christmas stockings are hung by catching fabric loops in a cupboard door. Commercial hangers were heavy metal and, if dislodged, may have fallen and injured an unwary child, she said. Once they're heavy with small gifts, the stockings stay on the floor.

Child's view It turns out that, if you're trying to make your home safer for children during the holidays, the floor is a good place to start.

Get down on your hands and knees, and look at your home from a child's perspective, said Dr. Michael Schimming, 32, a pediatrician with All Saints Healthcare System in Racine.

Every possible place won't be child-proof, he said, "because you'll probably be taking the kids over to family or possibly to parties at people's houses, and I guess you can't expect every house to be ... perfect. So again, nothing substitutes for the watchful eye of parents making sure (children) aren't getting into something that could cause harm."

Medication safety One problem he's seen stems from medications at other people's homes. Especially in homes where there's commotion, people taking medication may drop a pill on the floor without realizing it. "Kids find that shiny yellow pill - or whatever - and swallow it."

When that's discovered, no one typically knows how much a child may have swallowed. While some medicines have no side effects, people's bodies process medications differently, Schimming said.

"The trick is many of these medicines ... many of them aren't tested in kids. So we don't really know what they would do in children."

If a child has had any contact with any medication, from swallowing a pill to just licking one, it's worth a call to your local poison center (the number is in your telephone book) to find out what problems to watch for.

Julie Nielsen's children spend a great deal of time with their grandmother, so her home is already child-proofed, Nielsen said.

It removes a great deal of strain from her and her husband when the family gathers there.

Party advice If you're going to a party and leaving the children with a sitter, leave the sitter not only the address and telephone number of where you're going to be, but also put next to the phone your home address and number. If there is an emergency, this reduces confusion in telling firefighters or police where to come. This was suggested by Schimming's nurse.

If you take your children along to a party, Schimming said, agree that one adult remains sober - not only to drive everyone home but also to watch the children.

When the party's over, it's important to clean up right away, Schimming said. Some people serve food that might choke a small child, to say nothing of half-filled glasses of alcohol that may be left here and there. If the children awaken the next morning before the adults and find those things - you can fill in the rest.

No lighting up Cigarette smoke is another danger, Schimming said.

"Infants less than a year can develop respiratory problems with exposure to cigarette smoke as well as can succumb to sudden infant death syndrome.

"So if you're inviting family over for the holidays who smoke, it's much advisable that they definitely not smoke inside, and if possible they even change their clothes after smoking because the odor can be on the clothes as well."

Researchers have found that the more children are exposed to cigarette smoke, the greater is their risk of SIDS, he said.

Other things to consider * If you're going to a home with firearms, make certain they and ammunition are separated and locked up because this is also a time of year when children go exploring through homes, Schimming said.

* Don't overlook pets. Some are mild-mannered, but some aren't Schimming said. It's better to keep animals and children apart, especially if an animal is ill-tempered or older "because I've seen even the best family pet, if they're annoyed enough or they're overwhelmed by the number of people, I've seen them bite children before. Even the most loved of all pets can do that."

* Keep pet allergies in mind, too, he said. Mention those sensitivities to people whom you'll visit so they can clean more thoroughly and perhaps isolate the pet in a room.

That typically prevents reactions, he said.

"I thought that at one time maybe I overdo it with safety," Nielsen said, "but I don't think you can overdo it with safety."

"I don't want families to be panicked," Schimming said. "Holidays are supposed to be fun. So it's not that you're supposed to be walking around being a nervous wreck."

"So many of the things I've listed are just very common things that you would hope that most families would take care of - not to get bogged down in every little detail but to be observant and to enjoy themselves but with restraint, and just keeping a watchful eye."

Trees

* When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant."

* Check for freshness because a fresh tree is less of a fire hazard. The tree should be green, with needles that are hard to pull from branches. The needles should not break when bent between your fingers. The trunk butt should be sticky with resin; and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.

* Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood. This allows for better water absorption, reducing fire hazard risks.

* At home, place the tree away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic, and don't allow it to block doorways.

* Keep the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly.

Lights

* 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.

* 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.

* In homes with small children, avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.

* Remove all wrapping papers, bags, paper, ribbons and bows from tree and fireplace areas after gifts are opened. Children can choke on them, or they may catch fire.

* Keep poisonous plants out of reach. These include holly and mistletoe berries, amaryllis, azalea, boxwood, Christmas rose, Crown of Thorns, English ivy and Jerusalem cherry. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous, but can cause skin irritation and gastrointestinal distress.

Emergency contacts

* Laminate a list containing all of the important emergency phone numbers you or your babysitter might need. On the list should be the phone numbers for your pediatrician, the poison control center, police, fire department, ambulance and both parents' cell phones.

Toys

* Go large. Pick out toys that are larger than the child's mouth.

* Read warning labels. They offer age recommendations, information on how to use the toy and whether adult supervision is needed.

* Don't give young children (younger than 10) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated.

* Children younger than 3 can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for these children cannot have parts less than 1� inches in diameter and 2� inches long.

* Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons.

* Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length.

Fireplaces

* Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers and other flammable decorations near the fireplace. Check to see 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.

* Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Health System, American Red Cross.

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