Parents should remember that while adults are catching up socially over the holiday period, children will actively look for alternative entertainment. But unfamiliar places can be full of hazards.
Keep watch on alcoholic drinks and make sure they are not left where small hands can reach them.
Small Christmas decorations are particularly fascinating for young children. Make sure they are kept out of reach as they may pose choking hazards.
Each year, new toys are identified as being potentially harmful to young children. Projectile toys can be dangerous. Age labelling such as ‘not suitable for children under 3’ is not an indicator of skill, but means there are small parts that could become a choking hazard.
If visiting someone else’s home, be mindful that they may not have child-proofed danger areas such as kitchens and bathrooms or garden areas such as water features or a fish pond.
Even bedrooms can be dangerous if pills, medications or small coins are left by the bedside. You can prevent your child from being poisoned by storing medicines in a locked cupboard.
In an emergency call the Poisons Information Centre on 131 126.
