HIDDEN HOLIDAY HAZARDS: BRIGHT LIGHTS, PRETTY PRESENTS CAN PROVE DANGEROUS FOR YOUNGSTERS

There's nothing prettier this time of year than a traditional Christmas scene: Piles of presents stacked under a tree groaning with bright ornaments and candles.

But sometimes dangers lurk unseen in the pretty paper and lights, especially for little ones.

Christmas is a great time to be a kid. But it can be dangerous, too, said Connie Peiffer, co-coordinator of the Safe Kids Coalition and nurse manager of maternal/child services at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

The special decorations, gift wrap and the gifts themselves can prove risky for small children if adults don't keep a sharp eye out for holiday hazards.

When shopping for gifts, follow the age guidelines listed on toys. Toys and games with small parts aren't appropriate for toddlers, who may wind up swallowing them, Peiffer said.

"I've seen children before swallow things about the size of their thumbs," she said. "So when you're buying toys, especially if you've got children of different ages, you need to supervise them and make sure they pick those toys up."

Sometimes the accessories for toys can cause problems -- small cars, darts or play bullets or things like dolls' shoes -- even though the toy itself is perfectly safe.

"I'm thinking of those little shoes and the mirrors and the combs and those kinds of things," Peiffer said. "They're safe toys, but they're safe toys for the kids they're meant to be used by."

Think about the gift wrap, too, Peiffer suggested. Read labels to find out if there's lead in the paper.

"If there's lead content in your Christmas paper, you have the potential of children chewing on that and getting a toxic lead level," she said.

Small ribbons tied on packages can also cause problems if children decide to use them for necklaces, Peiffer said.

"They could choke on them," she said.

Once the youngsters have opened their gifts, pick up the debris quickly to avoid any problems, she advised.

Use common sense in placing decorations on the tree and around the house, Peiffer said.

Glass ornaments, which can break easily, should be placed high enough on the tree that small children can't reach them.

If the ornaments shatter, youngsters may suffer cuts or lacerations.

"Put ornaments on the bottom of the tree that children know they can play with," Peiffer said. Use plastic, wooden, fabric or hard ceramic ornaments that won't break.

Candles should only be used under strict supervision because of the fire hazard. Keep candles out of reach of young children to avoid the risk of fire and burns, she said.

If you put candles on the Christmas tree itself, don't leave the candles lit when there are no adults in the room to supervise. And make sure the tree is well-watered so it doesn't become a fire hazard, Peiffer said.

Extension cords should be out of reach of small children but still be left uncovered by rugs or carpet so they don't pose a fire threat, she said.

And a very small child might decide to chew on electrical cords or any number of small decorative items.

"Supervision is probably going to the biggest thing, even if it's just an older child keeping an eye on a younger one," Peiffer said.

Some plants popular during the holidays are toxic, including some of the Christmas ivies and the Christmas rose, she said.

The leaves of the poinsettia plant can cause a skin rash, Peiffer said.

If your holiday parties include alcohol, keep the leftovers out of reach of small children.

That last sip of spiked eggnog in the cup could contain enough alcohol to prove toxic or fatal to a small child.

And some small foods, like olives, nuts or even small pieces of sausage and cheese, could cause a child to choke.