November 8, 2000
A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR A SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON
UCSD Healthcare and the California Poison Control System offer these seasonal tips to help keep the season safe.
Hidden Holiday Hazards
“Plants and products usually not seen or available during the first 10 months of the
year account for many problems during the holiday season,” said Anthony
Manoguerra, Pharm.D., director of the California Poison Control System, San
Diego Division, at UCSD Medical Center. This may pose a problem for curious pets and young children especially.
For example, most people don’t know that all parts of mistletoe are toxic, and the berries may cause poisoning in children, explained Manoguerra.
In addition to mistletoe the leaves, and especially the berries, of English Holly
are toxic. Ingestion of 20 or 30 berries can cause very serious poisoning.
“When visiting friends and relatives, especially those without small children, make sure their home is poison-safe,” said
Manoguerra. Play It Safe Food Tips Southern
California is known for having warm holiday weather, so even though summer is
over, certain precautions should be taken to fight food poisoning.
Some seasonal nontoxic plants include Pyracantha, Eugenia and California Holly. Poinsettias are essentially nontoxic, but can cause stomach upset if
ingested, and the milky sap can cause some skin irritation. Also, Christmas cactus and pine cones are nontoxic.
Christmas trees such as pines, spruces and junipers may cause stomach upset if large
amounts are ingested. Ingestion of small amounts may cause a localized irritation of the mouth.
Some Christmas decorations may be dangerous. Care should be taken to hang glass bulbs
and light bulbs high on the tree to
prevent accidents. Angel hair, or spun glass, is very irritating to the skin and eyes. Ornaments imported from other countries may be painted with a lead
paint and could be toxic if ingested. Tinsel manufactured prior to 1972 also contains lead; however, the major problem with
ingestion of large amounts of tinsel is obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract, said Manoguerra.
Medicine, cosmetics
and other small items from grandma’s purse or grandpa’s coat
pocket can frequently be swallowed by small children. Make sure that visitors to your home store packages and purses out of a
child’s reach, said Manoguerra.
Alcohol poisoning is common in children throughout the year, but increases during the
holidays. This often occurs when children drink the leftover cocktails after parties, or when adults allow them
to drink from their glasses, said Norcross. Adults should make sure alcoholic drinks are cleaned up and out of reach
during and after a party.
Also, colognes, perfumes and after-shave contain heavy concentrations of alcohol. Small children might ingest these products by mistake if they are
attractively packaged. Children are
very sensitive to alcohol, especially to its ability to lower blood sugar,
explained Dr. Norcross.
Toy related injuries peak during the holidays. Parents should carefully review the toys on their child’s wish-list and
consider the responsibility level of the child. Small toys that break easily may be swallowed by small
children and pets and cause serious injuries. Potentially dangerous items such as darts, slingshots and BB guns can
cause injury and loss of sight, especially during the excitement of holidays,
explained Dr. Norcross. 
Additionally,
small batteries -- used in watches, cameras and calculators -- can be quite
dangerous if swallowed. They may cause burns or may leak chemicals that cause poisoning.
At
warm temperatures -- 60 degrees and over -- food poisoning bacteria can begin to
multiply and cause illness. While food poisoning usually means uncomfortable intestinal flu-like symptoms, it can
be serious -- in the young, the elderly, and people with other illnesses.
Keep everything that touches food clean. Wash
hands before preparing food. Cook food thoroughly and if your holiday meal is left out and reaches room
temperature, it could become a source of food poisoning. By observing the cold storage, sanitation and thorough cooking rules you
can keep your food safe during the holidays.
If an ingestion of a questionable product occurs or you have questions about the
potential toxicity of anything in your home, call the California Poison Control
System, San Diego Division, at UCSD Medical Center, toll free at (800) 876-4766. The Poison Control System offers a 24-hour-a-day information service on
the toxicology, clinical signs and symptoms, assessment and treatment of
exposures to toxic substances.
Media Contact: Eileen Callahan
619-543-6163 ecallahan@ucsd.edu
UCSD Health Sciences Communications
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