Safety At Christmas

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Safety At Christmas
It's six in the morning and the children are already sitting by the Christmas Tree, waiting for you to wake up so they can start the frenzy of unwrapping. They have been looking forward to this moment for months and even though you would prefer that christmas was not just about pressies the reality is that at their age the pressies will override everything else.

So it is down to the parents to make it all come true and it is also down to the parents to ensure that the toys under the tree are safe and age appropriate. Every year over 35,000 children go to hospitals after an accident involving a toy and the majority of these accidents happen to toddlers between one and three years old. The child accident and prevention trust advise parents to look at the suggested age range on the packaging. There is usually a warning symbol letting parents know if a particular toy is unsuitable for children under 36 months. This is important because it means that a toy might contain parts that could choke a very young child.

There are also safety marks that help identify safe toys. Toys should conform to the European Standard BS EN 71. The Lion mark can also be a helpful guide as this means they have been made to the highest standard of safety and quality and it is the mark used by members of the British Toy and Hobby Association. A CE mark is not a guarantee of quality or safety but it is a legal requirement for all toys sold in the European Union.

What if your child does swallow something small?

She may be gasping for air and unable to breathe
She may be holding or clutching her throat
She may be unable to speak
She may lose colour or look blue

What should you do?

Encourage your child to cough. If this does not quickly release the object:
Bend your child forward from the waist so that the head is lower than the chest and give 5 sharp backslaps between the shoulder blades. If the object is still not released give up to 5 chest thrusts by standing behind the child with your arms around them. Make a fist with one hand, cup it with the other hand and place your fist on the lower part of the breastbone. Pull sharply inwards and release 5 times.
Check the mouth to see if the object has been released and if not give up to 5 abdominal thrusts again by standing with your arms around the child but this time placing your cupped fist under the ribcage. Pull sharply inward and upward.
Check the mouth and if the object has not been released dial 999 for an ambulance and then continue the sequence of back slaps, chest thrusts and abdominal thrusts until help arrives.
Be prepared to resuscitate if the child stops breathing.

But it is not just the toys that cause problems you also need to be careful with the Christmas fairy lights.

Christmas Tree tips:

Do not put Christmas lights near gas, electric heaters, fireplaces, candles or similar sources of heat.
Do not use staples or nails when installing the lights.
Do not let the light bulbs sit on the light cord or other electrical wires.
Unplug the Christmas light bulbs when leaving the house, going to bed or if the tree is left unattended.
Do not let children play with the lights - they are not toys. They should be placed at a height where young children cannot reach them.
Do not close doors or windows on the light cord or extension cords as this may damage the wire.
Do not cover the lights with cloth, paper or any other material.
To reduce the risk of overheating, replace any burned out light bulbs promptly. Use the correct volt and wattage in the replacement light bulbs.
Always unplug your lights before installing or replacing the light bulbs.
Do not overload the electrical wiring by adding additional light sets together. Only connect the recommended amount of light sets.

The above information is not a substitute for professional first aid training. For details of paediatric first aid courses in Burton on Trent please call safe and Sound on 0208 449 8722 or go to www.safe-and-sound.org.uk

Article contributed by:
Roma Felstein - Safe & Sound
Submitted on: 15th January 2005

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