holly jollyhazards

By Katie McPherson

Watch out for watch batteries. Keep little ones away from Christmas trees that could tip over. Keep medications out of the reach of children who may mistake it for candy.

Although these warnings are good rules of thumb, Richard Petrik, M.D., director of the emergency department at Ocala Health, has seen firsthand what happens when parents of young children don’t take them seriously enough.

“Gatherings of family bring together new stimuli—new dogs, cousins playing together roughly, grandma’s medications or the family playing a holiday game of football. There are other risks because there are new things in the house that maybe haven’t been babyproofed, like a Christmas tree they’re pulling ornaments down from,” says Dr. Petrik. “The days after a holiday are usually some of our busiest times of the year.”

When most parents think of holiday safety, unsafe toys and swallowing batteries immediately come to mind.

“Most normal batteries are a little too big for kids to swallow, but the worry most physicians have is about button batteries, which tend to be in watches and hearing aids. Those should always be kept away from children,” says Dr. Petrik.

When grandparents come into town for the season, they may bring more than hearing aids. If Grandma or Grandpa takes prescription medication but isn’t used to thinking about safe storage for it, this can become dangerous.

“That absolutely happens—that’s not a myth. We’ve seen a couple of instances where someone got into a grandparent’s pocketbook,” Dr. Petrik recalls. “Where an older family member may not have to secure a medication at home, they’ll definitely have to at the home of a family who has smaller, curious children. All medications should be secured where the family usually keeps them or just way outside the reach of kids.”

And of course, human relatives can sometimes travel with fur relatives. It’s best to supervise children and animals when together, especially if the pet in question isn’t used to living with children or the child doesn’t know how to safely approach them.

“This is a good general warning. I’ve definitely seen the dog bites of a neighbor’s dog that’s not used to kids,” says Dr. Petrik.

The holidays are also a time when unknown allergies come to light.

“We’re exposed to new foods or an allergy to pets or cats that might be brought along,” he says.

So, what’s a polite parent to do to ensure their guests are thinking safely?

“Family members don’t necessarily want to frisk their loved ones at the door,” adds Dr. Petrik. “Just ask, ‘Do you have anything dangerous for the kids with you? Let’s put that some place safe.’”