OMAHA, Nebraska - During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it is easy to overlook items in the home that could avoid a poisoning. The Nebraska Regional Poison center has a few tips to make this a worry-free most wonderful time of the year.
When visitors arrive for the holidays make sure to store their medications up and out of reach. You may want to store all medication in a locked box.
Disc batteries may be found in toys, games, watches, remotes and musical greeting cards. If swallowed, they can become lodged in the throat and cause serious injury or death if not removed. Also avoid toys that contain magnets since they may be harmful if swallowed.
Alcohol is found in holiday drinks and in gifts such as perfume and cologne. It is important to clean up immediately following all holiday parties. Remove all items that may contain alcohol and keep out of reach of small children. Remember to empty all ashtrays – only a few cigarette butts swallowed is enough to harm a child.
Carbon Monoxide is a gas produced when fuels burn incompletely. Some symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness can mimic other illnesses including the stomach flu and food poisoning. It is very important to have a CO detector in your home.
Bubble lights look very pretty and are attractive to small children. The fluid in these lights may contain a toxic chemical called methylene chloride.
Be mindful of Christmas tree icicles, tinsel and garland as these can be a choking hazard if swallowed. Snow sprays help with holiday décor, but the pressurized container may cause eye damage if sprayed directly in the eye. Glitter can be irritating to the eyes and lungs. Snow globes often have glitter, water and may contain glycols, but usually in low concentrations.
Remember your pets this holiday season. Chocolate, raisins, grapes and some nuts can be very toxic to animals.
The Nebraska Regional Poison Center is a free community service to the public.
When you call 1-800-222-1222 you will speak immediately to a Registered Nurse or Pharmacist.