December is recognized as National Safe Toys and Celebrations Month, and the Henry and Stark County Health Departments, along with First Choice Healthcare, remind everyone to prioritize safety amid holiday preparations. Key tips include ensuring Christmas trees are hydrated or made of fire-retardant material, keeping decorations securely out of young children’s reach, and supervising kids closely, especially when around open flames or while decorating. Additional precautions involve choosing age-appropriate toys, dressing children warmly for cold weather, and ensuring they have suitable safety gear for winter sports. Heather Aldred, RN, emphasizes the importance of a safety-first approach to guarantee a joyous and accident-free holiday season. Visit the Henry and Stark County Health Department’s website or social media for more tips on keeping celebrations safe.
Heather Aldred, RN Maternal and Child Health Supervisor said, “It’s important to think about safety even during the holidays. Carefully inspecting your home and taking care of any safety hazards can ensure you and your children have a happy, safe holiday season.”
The Health Department encourages you to keep these safety tips in mind while preparing for the holidays:
- If you have a real tree, make sure the tree stand is always filled with water so the tree doesn’t dry out and pose an increased fire hazard. If you buy an artificial tree, make sure it is made from fire-retardant material. Make sure the stand is flat on the ground, and decorate the tree to equally distribute weight.
- Do not leave children alone in a room with lighted candles, matches, lighters, fireplaces, or any other sources of flame or heat.
- Keep decorations out of reach of children and secured to the wall. Any object small enough to fit through a toilet paper tube can obstruct the airway of a child.
- Keep mistletoe, holly berries, and poinsettias out of reach of children, as each is toxic when ingested.
- Closely supervise your child if he or she is helping you decorate, especially when handling lighting, ornaments, and breakable objects.
- Purchase lights with the UL Listed mark which certifies that the product has been tested to meet safety requirements.
- Make sure your children’s toys are age-appropriate and the batteries cannot be easily removed. Batteries shaped like disks, or button batteries, pose a choking risk to young children.
- Avoid placing gifts under the tree that contain glass, perfume and cologne, poisonous substances, or sharp materials.
- Keep alcohol out of reach of children. Quickly clean up leftover drinks.
- Dress your child properly for the weather, making sure that their hands, feet, and head are covered.
- Supervise children and make sure they wear the correct safety gear for sledding, skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and other outdoor activities.