Holidays present Arizonans with more poisoning hazards
Dec 24, 2014, 9:22 AM | Updated: 10:54 am
PHOENIX — Households are busy this time of year and that has the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center urging parents to stay vigilant in protecting their kids.
Director Keith Boesen said, as relatives and friends come and go for holiday parties and other events, it can be easy to forget about things such as alcohol or prescription medication lying around.
“Once we flip our routine, we’re not always aware of it, we’re not always thinking about it and sometime kids go unsupervised for longer periods of time,” he said.
Prescription medications should always be locked up or kept out of reach to avoid them ending up in the wrong hands.
Boesen said other seasonal hazards include some holiday decorations.
“Some of the other things, like mistletoe, the only time of year that it usually shows up is this time of year and depending variety of mistletoe that can certainly be dangerous,” he said.
It’s also recommended that parent check toys thoroughly for batteries and make sure children cannot accidentally ingest them, Boesen said.
On average, the number of poisonings in Arizona drops during the winter, as common causes of poisonings — rattlesnakes and other animals — are not as frequently encountered this time of year, but Boesen said the severity of poisoning cases remains unchanged.
