Just like that, the holiday season is upon us and, once again, the festivities have begun. In addition to spending time with family and friends and reflecting on what matters, the season is also filled with shopping.
For new parents or those with young children, this time of year also poses a number of new concerns when it comes to the well-being of their children.
“With all the different festivities surrounding the holidays, it definitely makes it a fun and exciting time of the year,” principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Dr. Lara McKenzie, says. “But as parents and caregivers, you need to be aware and mindful of any new dangers in the homes you visit.”
To Grandmother’s House We Go
When visiting homes that aren’t your own during the holidays, there are a number of dangers for young children that can often be overlooked.
“Think about where you go around the holidays,” McKenzie says. “Families may not have the same aged children so, in turn, not the same safety precautions in their own home.”
Something as simple as locking doors, gating staircases and blocking off certain areas of the home for children can make all the difference.
“You really cannot underestimate something that simple,” McKenzie says.
Fun for Kids, Safe for Parents
While the arrival of the holidays is anxiously awaited by children, it’s important for adults to be aware of age-appropriate gifts. Avoiding choking hazards for young ones and potentially dangerous motorized toys for older children can be key to a safe holiday season.
“It can make a huge difference,” McKenzie says. “It has a lot to do with the size of the item and the mechanics. We definitely see injuries related to new toys around the holiday.”
Take, for example, the growing popularity of self-balancing scooters, or hoverboards, in recent holiday seasons. While they may seem like the ideal gift for a child due to popularity, these toys typically start at an age requirement of at least 8 years old.
“When the hoverboards came out, they were extremely popular,” McKenzie says. “We saw a number of upper and lower extremity injuries from kids falling off of them.”
Make Safe Happen
While a number of classes and resources are available for more information on handling childproofing homes, none may be as accessible and well put-together as the new application developed in conjunction with Nationwide Insurance and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Make Safe Happen is an application that is free on both iOS and Android devices. It walks the user through every room in the house and details potential dangers for children of varying ages and provides recommendations to make the space safer.
The specific tailoring of the information serves as a useful reminder for those looking for guidance around the holidays.
“It won’t give someone every recommendation under the sun,” McKenzie says, “but it will give more of the things you need to focus on right now.”
Rocco Falleti is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com.
