Ornaments imported from other countries may be painted with a lead paint and could be toxic if ingested. When visiting friends and relatives, especially those without small children, make sure their home is poison-safe, said Manoguerra. Medicine, cosmetics and other small items from grandma s purse or grandpa s coat pocket can frequently be swallowed by small children. Make sure that visitors to your home store packages and purses out of a child s reach, said Manoguerra. The holidays are traditionally a time when family and friends get together to celebrate, said William Norcross, M.D., UCSD Family and Preventive Medicine physician.
Alcohol poisoning is common in children throughout the year, but increases during the holidays.
This often occurs when children drink the leftover cocktails after parties, or when adults allow them to drink from their glasses, said Norcross. Adults should make sure alcoholic drinks are cleaned up and out of reach during and after a party. Also, colognes, perfumes and after-shave contain heavy concentrations of alcohol. Small children might ingest these products by mistake if they are attractively packaged. Children are very sensitive to alcohol, especially to its ability to lower blood sugar, explained Dr. Norcross.