Nothing
makes you more of a Grinch during the holidays than a trip to the Emergency
Room when you should be home enjoying good food, family and friends. Unfortunately,
accidents are very common during the holiday season, for a variety of reasons. Here
are the top concerns you should steer clear of if you don’t want to have a Ba Humbug attitude about the holidays
this year.
Falls
About
5,800 individuals are treated annually in hospital emergency rooms for injuries
sustained from falls involving holiday decorations. This can include
putting lights up on the house or reaching to far on the ladder to get the star
on the top of your tree.
In
addition, 4,000 people a year are treated in emergency rooms for injuries
associated with extension cords. Half of these injuries
involve fractures, lacerations, contusions, or sprains as a result of people
tripping over the cords.
Carbon
Monoxide poisonings
Carbon Monoxide claims an average of 430 lives in the United States per year. These are
preventable deaths. Make sure you install at least one smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm on every
level of your home and near bedrooms.
Fires
About 30%
of all home fires and 38% of home fire deaths occur during the months of
December, January, and February. The United States Fire Administration
(USFA) says these fires happen for a variety of reasons cooking, heating, and
open flames, all which increase during the holidays. Watch all fires and do not
cook or handle an open flame if you have been drinking in excess.
Decorations
With all their shine and glitter
holiday decorations are especially tempting to infants, who can quickly choke
on items like tinsel, small ornaments, tiny pine cones and pieces from nativity
scenes. Be sure to keep all such hazards well out of the reach of children;
this includes popular holiday food items like nuts and hard candies, too.
Mistletoe
Poinsettias are often regarded as the most poisonous holiday plant, but contrary to popular belief these plants are actually not toxic to people. Mistletoe, on the other hand, is poisonous. Eating any part of the mistletoe plant, but particularly the berries and leaves, can lead to gastrointestinal upset, while some varieties contain toxins that can lead to blurred vision, blood pressure changes and even death.
Poinsettias are often regarded as the most poisonous holiday plant, but contrary to popular belief these plants are actually not toxic to people. Mistletoe, on the other hand, is poisonous. Eating any part of the mistletoe plant, but particularly the berries and leaves, can lead to gastrointestinal upset, while some varieties contain toxins that can lead to blurred vision, blood pressure changes and even death.
Toxic Candles, Sprays and
Lights
Do you ever stop to consider what is in the smoke that burns
from your candles? They can release hundreds of chemicals, including
cancer-causing benzene, into your home's air every time you burn them. This is
particularly true of scented candles, as the fragrance oils often contain
phthalates, which have been linked to numerous hormonal disruptions, breast
cancer, early or delayed puberty and more. Spray on snow is also hazardous as
it contains acetone and methylene chloride (a probable carcinogen).
According to a U.S. Environmental
group’s study four out of five holiday lights tested contain lead, 28 percent
of which contained lead at such high levels they would be illegal to sell in
Europe.
Give yourself a gift this holiday season. Beware of the
hazards that threaten to rob you of the joy and relaxation you deserve. An
ounce of prevention is worth a lot more than what Santa might bring you.
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