Your first Christmas with a new baby can be a joyful time. You may be looking forward to gathering with your extended family and sharing your holiday traditions with your new bundle of joy. As product injury lawyers in the St Louis Metro East, we wanted to inform our neighbors of the dangers.
However, the Christmas season brings with it a lot of extra paraphernalia–from tinsel to trees–which can seem very enticing to a baby. In today’s post, we discuss some of the leading causes of accidents with babies during the holiday season.
Christmas tree
Erecting a tree in the middle of your living room will no doubt catch your baby’s attention. Hang some shiny globes and sparkly lights on it, and it’s a recipe for disaster. If your baby gets ahold of a glass ornament, they will undoubtedly put it in their mouth–resulting in serious mouth lacerations. In addition, while a string of lights poses an obvious strangulation hazard, it also poses a choking hazard. If a baby gets ahold a stray bulb that has come loose, they will treat it like candy. Always keep your Christmas tree blocked off, so that your baby can’t access it. If you use fragile Christmas ornaments, put them on higher branches–out of your baby’s reach.
Fireplace
At this time of year, sipping hot cocoa in front of the fire can seem especially pleasant. But it’s important to keep your child at a safe distance from the hearth. Even when the fireplace is not in use, beware of the attraction of colorful stockings hanging above it. Do not use metal stocking holders to affix your stockings to the mantle. If your little one grabs ahold of a stocking, the heavy metal holder will likely fall on their head–resulting in a concussion, contusion or worse. Block off your fireplace so that your baby can’t go near it.
Presents
Always check any gift your child receives to make sure it is age appropriate. In addition, once the presents are opened, make sure gifts for older children–with small parts–aren’t left lying around, where your baby can reach them. It’s also important to be on the lookout for any batteries included in your baby’s gifts. Many battery-operated baby toys include small disc batteries taped to the package. If your baby finds these before you do, they can get lodged in their esophagus.
No one wants their Christmas celebration to end up in a trip to the emergency room. Follow the above guidelines to help keep your holiday season happy and healthy.
