Did you know that December is Safe Toys and Celebrations Month? The holiday season can be an exciting but stressful time, especially if you have children.
You want them to have the best holiday while also staying safe. Emergency room visits go up every year around the holidays, with many due to injuries from toys and holiday parties going wrong. Many of these are also eye injuries that can potentially cause permanent vision loss.
Don’t let debilitating eye injuries ruin your holidays. This December, you can help the whole family stay safe. Keep reading for helpful tips to follow for safer gift-giving and celebrations!
Gifts for Children
When you’re getting gifts for children, you should be careful about what you buy regardless of their age. This is true if you’re buying for your children or someone else’s children.
You should be more careful when buying for other people’s children and ask the parents for approval before purchasing anything. They will have a better idea of what’s appropriate for their children.
Do your best only to buy age-appropriate toys. Most toys will be labeled with the intended age range. Also, be wary of toys with sharp edges and magnets.
If a toy requires batteries or electricity, young children should always be supervised when using it, especially if it needs to be plugged in. No matter the child’s age, you should also be wary of any toy that fires projectiles.
Some toys that fire soft projectiles, like Nerf guns or water guns, may be okay for older children, but be careful to check the safety guides for any of these toys before allowing your children to play with them.
For any sports equipment, make sure also to include safety equipment. Don’t buy a bike without ensuring your child has a helmet that fits correctly.
If you follow general guidelines and use common sense, it will be much easier to ensure that any toy you buy for a child is safe and used correctly.
Decorations
Holiday decorations can be festive, but they can also be a hazard if not used correctly. Be careful with hanging anything where it might fall or hit someone in the head.
Be wary of glass ornaments on the tree if you have small children who may be able to reach them and put them in their mouths. Put these higher up on your tree as an extra precaution.
Candles and fireplaces should be lit with caution. Do not light these around young children. If you do have an open flame, make sure any young child is closely supervised when near it.
Celebrating Safely
With the New Year approaching, celebrating it can come with many hazards. If you’re considering fireworks on New Year’s, maybe think twice.
Fireworks are safest when handled by professionals. If you end up using them yourself, be sure not to let children anywhere near them. You should also only light them in an open space with a bucket of water nearby and always stay at least 500 feet away from lit fireworks.
A hazard you may not have thought about is champagne bottles. Flying corks from champagne bottles can cause a lot of damage and could even take out an eye.
The best way to avoid having the cork go flying is to put a towel over the top of the bottle and uncork it as slowly as possible. Make sure to point the bottle away from your face and others you’re around to reduce the chance of any injuries occurring.
You can still have fun and celebrate while keeping safety at the front of your mind during the holiday season. Are you concerned that it’s been too long since your last eye exam? Schedule one at Shepherd Eye Center in Las Vegas, NV, today!
