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Festive decorations are a favorite part of the holiday season, but those lights, candles and ornaments can also create health and safety hazards. This week on Health Watch we’ll talk about ways to make the holiday safer.
Small children are especially at risk for accidents or other hazards from decorations. The bright, shiny objects are tempting, and adults may be too distracted by the holiday chaos to stop children from getting into trouble.
Dr. Robert Wiebe, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, has some tips for keeping kids safe. One thing you need to look out for is small light bulbs, miniature ornaments and needles from holiday greenery. These can be choking hazards for small children. Anything small enough to fit in a child’s mouth should be kept out of reach of little hands.
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December 2005
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