DANGERS LURK FOR CHILDREN DURING HOLIDAY SEASON

Mistletoe hanging above the door, a tree festooned with glass ornaments, baking going on in the kitchen, lighted candles on the coffee table.

What seems like a happy Christmas scene is actually a home full of potential holiday dangers for children, especially babies and toddlers.

There are many items people leave out around the holidays not realizing the dangers they can pose for little ones, said Pat Pennington, nurse manager of emergency services for Southeast Missouri Hospital.

In the above scenario, a child could be poisoned from eating mistletoe berries or drinking vanilla extract from the kitchen, get cut from a broken ornament and burned from the candles.

The following can pose dangers for children, according to Pennington and the Cape Girardeau Area Safe Kids Coalition:

* Poisonous plants. Pennington said holly and mistletoe berries cause the most problems because people commonly use them to decorate. The berries are very poisonous, she said.

"Just a few berries can cause a child to be sick, and a handful can cause them to be extremely ill," she said.

Other poisonous holiday plants include amaryllis, azalea, boxwood, Christmas rose, crown of thorns and English and Jerusalem cherry.

Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous. But they can cause irritation and gastrointestinal distress, Pennington said.

* Holiday decorations. Pennington said thin metal and glass ornament balls can break and the sharp edges can cut children. Angel hair, aluminum tinsel and small pieces of plastic foam like Styrofoam can cause bowel obstructions.

"Sometimes it's bad enough that we have to operate," Pennington said.

Snow globes are not usually toxic, but the water in them may be contaminated with salmonella, a bacteria that can cause food poisoning. If a snow globe gets broken, it should be cleaned up right away, Pennington said.

Artificial snow sprays can cause lung irritation if inhaled.

* Medications. Medicine should not be left within the reach of children. Pennington said she's seen cases where grandchildren come to visit and grandma has left her medicine on the nightstand.

It's important that when the grandchildren come to visit, the grandparents childproof their home, Pennington said. This would include moving breakable or poisonous items off lower shelves and out of low cabinets. One suggestion is to go through the house on a child's eye level, looking for dangers.

• Alcohol. Do not leave alcoholic drinks unattended when children are around. Holiday drinks such as eggnog laced with alcohol may be sweet and inviting to youngsters.

"It doesn't take much alcohol to make a child sick," Pennington said.

* Aromatic oils. Concentrated oils, which are often used as aromatics, can make children sick, so they should be kept of children's reach, Pennington said.

* Candles. "Candles are generally not toxic, but you need to be careful because the fire can burn children," Pennington said.

Signs of poisoning

* Projectile vomiting.

* Prolonged vomiting.

* Decrease in or no urination (a sign of dehydration).

* Listlessness.

* Dry mouth and tongue.

If a child displays such signs, seek medical attention. Keep the number for the Missouri Poison Control Center, (800) 366-8888, beside the phone.