The Holidays And Potential Child Hazards

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For many families Christmas Day is a time to unwrap gifts and to visit relatives.

For kids this can be a potentially unsafe time. The tree is an obvious source of concern—small ornaments and the lights along with extension cords can be child hazards if the kids are not supervised closely.

Another concern is that if you are visiting family there may be problems with a house that has not been child proofed.

No one can think of all of the potential child hazards but the best protection is actually being aware of the problems.

If the house is somewhat disorganized during the holidays make that extra effort to think about risks—for instance are there safety caps over electric outlets and is the tree watered regularly. Lots of things to think about but a few minutes can prevent very real problems.