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December 19, 2005
Holiday Safety Reminders
I subscribe to a great email list hosted by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). You can sign up to receive a daily child health/safety tip in your mailbox. I thought today's reminders about keeping kids safe during the holiday hustle were particularly timely. It's stuff most of us already know but can easily lose sight of when traveling:
- If your host doesn't already have them, take a portable crib or playyard and a doorway gate for infants or toddlers, to keep them safely contained in one area and away from stairs.
- Before you show up at the relatives' house, find out if age-appropriate childproofing is in place. If not, you can make some suggestions with advance notice. Always ask that any firearms and ammunition be safely locked away. Never, ever leave a child unsupervised near a hot tub or pool, even for a moment.
- Be sure to take several toys or games that will entertain your child, especially if the home you are visiting has no children.
- Consider any allergies your child may have that could be exacerbated in a different home. Pet and cigarette smoking in particular could set your child off. If possible, see if a family cat can be kept in an upstairs bedroom and if smoking can be moved outdoors. Be prepared with any allergy medications your child takes, just in case.
- Ensure that unfinished alcoholic drinks are dumped in the sink and not left for a toddler to accidentally ingest or an older child to experiment with.
- Keep young children away from burning candles and fireplaces. Don't leave candles or the fireplace burning in an unoccupied house, even for a short time.
- Be aware of the dangers of foods sitting out, both in terms of the risk of foodborne illness and the risk to very young children who could help themselves and choke while others are distracted.
- If you are leaving the kids with a sitter, be sure to keep an up-to-date list emergency phone list. Include your cell numbers, the number of the place you will be, the police and fire department, poison control center and a responsible neighbor, especially if the sitter isn't an adult.
If you're interested in signing up for CHOP's daily email on children's health and safety, click here.
Posted by Sarah at December 19, 2005 9:53 AM.
