Personal Injury Law

Avoiding Childhood Holiday Injuries

By Flaxman & Lopez

During the holidays, childhood injuries and Florida personal injuries sustained by children are all too common. There are many hazards which can create dangers for younger children, especially:

1) Candles and burn hazards. At this time of year, many of us decorate our homes with holiday lights and even with candles. Unfortunately, candles, especially, do pose a serious risk. Children are admitted to emergency rooms during the holiday season in many cases because they have sustained a Florida burn injury after being drawn to a flame. If you have young children at home, you may want to avoid candles entirely. If you do use candles, keep them well out of the reach of children. While holiday lights are safer, they can still pose a burn hazard. Make sure that your lights burn cool and replace any worn or damaged lights promptly.

2) Toy hazards. For children, toys are a large part of the holiday season. However, all too often, they can also be a hazard. Each year, children choke on toys or are injured by dangerous toys. Make sure that any toys your children receive are in good condition, not on a recall list, and age-appropriate. Carefully review toys before allowing your children to play with them and dispose of toy packaging promptly, since plastic wrapping around toys does pose a choking hazard for small children.

3) Car accidents and drunk driving accidents. Unfortunately, Florida drunk driving accidents spike around the holiday season, as many people go to holiday parties and make poor decisions after drinking. It is not just vehicle drivers who get injured in these accidents. All too often, children are also injured as they are passengers in vehicles.

4) Choking hazards. The holiday season is often full of choking hazards for very small children. Loose toy parts, ornaments, wrapping materials, even candies and treats can all pose a choking hazard. It is important to keep all small items away from very young children and to practice good child supervision, even during the very hectic holiday season.

5) Food-borne illness and other illnesses. Children take some years to develop a strong immune system, simply because they have been exposed to far fewer illnesses than adults. Children are also more prone to have serious complications from even standard seasonal illnesses, such as colds and flu. Further, the holiday season means eating, and that can mean more food-borne illnesses, especially in cases where food is not cooked or preserved correctly.

Full post as published by Florida Injury Lawyer Blog on December 21, 2010 (boomark / email).