Outside you have the lights hanging on the house, inside the tree is nicely decorated, the smell of sugar cookies drifts through the house, and your young child just runs up to you showing you their handmade Christmas letter they wrote for Santa. Sounds like a nice warm setting at home, but did you know that there are extra concerns you should be aware of during the holiday season.
With the Christmas season comes special plants to decorate your home. They include Amaryllis bulbs and plants, Poinsettia plants, and Mistletoe just to name a few. Many people may not realize that these three plants alone can cause harm to you, your family, and your pets during the holiday season, especially Mistletoe.
Here are some symptoms of Mistletoe Poisoning
Blurred Vision
Diarrhea
Nausea
Stomach Pain
Vomiting
Sudden Weakness
Drowsiness
If you suspect your child or pet has mistletoe poisoning, you should contact your local poison center, doctor, or veterinarian right away.
Another common art tool that is used during the Christmas season is glitter gels, glue, and spray snow on the windows. All three of these items can be dangerous to use and can lead to needing to seek medical attention. During this time of year, many children make various decorations/crafts at school and at home with their families and using glitter gels and glues can lead to some irritations to the skin and eyes. It is important to remember that if you are working with your children on such a craft that they may need to cover their hands with gloves to avoid touching their face while their hands are sticky with the craft supplies. Also some people may like to use the spray snow to make decorations in their windows. If you are one of these people make sure you read the instructions carefully. It may be wise to use hand and eye protection when working with such material as well as make sure the room you are working in has adequate ventilation so you do not breath in toxic fumes.
Let’s keep the holidays happy and safe for all.
