Child Safety During Holiday Season

During the holiday season, we are more likely to be frequenting shopping centers and malls. These are busy places during the holidays with shoppers and potentially predators. As we are busy with the whirlwind of what can become a frantic shopping experience, we may find ourselves not paying as close of attention to our children as we should.
We may be tempted to leave our kids in a play area, or an arcade, or even a store, unsupervised for a short time while we pursue or shopping. This is opening the door to potential dangers. Not only is this increasing a risk for child abduction, but you never know what predator may be watching, seeing a child alone, they may confront and convince the child to divulge personal information, such as where they live where they go to school. You may return to find your child safe, but little do you know that a stranger has set-up future danger to your family and child.

For Additional Information, please visit:
The Child Connection

There are many dangers to children that are prevalent in our homes, and these escalate during the holiday season. Every year 2 1/2 million children are injured or killed in our homes. Over a million are accidentally poisoned in their homes. Of these the majority are from common household cleaners.
It is important to consider when visiting and friend and families houses, that their homes may not be child proof. Most of us with small children believe that we have a child proof house, but during the holiday season, the risk to our child's safety rises. There are dangers involved with gifts, decorations, and friends and family that may be visiting, who may not be as pre-cautious as to potential dangers to children.
One of the most prevalent dangers to small children during the holiday season is the risks involving toys that may have small pieces posing a choking hazard. I will go more into this in the next section. For more info on toy safety, including choosing the appropriate toys, toy recalls, lead hazards and much more, please visit: Toy Info
Another hazard which we may never have thought about, is the hazards involved with holiday decorations. There are several risks associated with these, including choking hazards, decorations which may become broken posing risks from sharp objects and fire and burn hazards associated with additional outlets being used, live trees, fireplaces, and ovens and stoves.

Child Proofing your Home

One of my favorite pleasures of the holidays is seeing the wide excited eyes of kids as the open gifts. Keep in mind, when shopping for small children the dangers of a possible choking hazard.
No object should be small enough to completely fit into a child's mouth. Keep all objects smaller than 3.2 centimeters (1¼ inches) in diameter and shorter than 5.5 centimeters (2¼ inches) in length out of reach of young children. Even if all of the gifts bought for a small child are safe, there is the potential for a little one to find curiosity in the bigger kids gifts which may pose a choking hazard. It is important for all of us to be aware of the risks and keep a watchful eye. For more info on choosing appropriate toys by age, please visit: Toy Safety Tips

Child Care Safety Choking

Up to 2 million, or 8%, of children, and 2% of adults in the United States are estimated to have food allergies.

Severe Allergic Reactions
In severe cases, consuming a food to which one is allergic can cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis- a systemic allergic reaction that can be severe and sometimes fatal. The first signs of anaphylaxis may be a feeling of warmth, flushing, tingling in the mouth or a red, itchy rash. Other symptoms may include feelings of light-headedness, shortness of breath, severe sneezing, anxiety, stomach or uterine cramps, and/or vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, patients may experience a drop in blood pressure that results in a loss of consciousness and shock. Without immediate treatment, anaphylaxis may cause death.
Symptoms of anaphylaxis are reversed by treatment with injectable epinephrine, antihistamines, and other emergency measures. It is essential that anyone with symptoms suggesting possible anaphylaxis get emergency treatment immediately.
American Academy of Allergy,Asthma and
Immunology

Cooking for friends and family over the holidays is extremely rewarding, but can also bring about risks to children. Small children may be exposed to new foods for the first time which they may have potential allergies to. Be sure to know the symptoms of an allergic reaction to take fast and appropriate response, just in case.

The top eight allergy foods:

1. Milk (dairy)
2. Eggs
3. Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod)
4. Crustacean shellfish (e.g. crab, lobster, shrimp)
5. Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans)
6. Peanuts
7. Wheat
8. Soybeans

For additional information, please visit:
Food Allergy Facts

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