Visitors’ belongings can pose danger to children

PHOENIX — Some everyday household items can be especially dangerous to kids this time of year.

The number of child poisonings spikes during the holidays.

According to Dr. Frank Lovecchio, a poison-control specialist in Phoenix, houseguests can unknowingly put children at risk.

“They bring their medications and sometimes their medications are not in child-proof containers,” Lovecchio said.

He said gadgets that run on tiny batteries are also dangerous.

“Little children can swallow those and they can get lodged or stuck in their feeding tube,” Lovecchio said.

That can require emergency surgery.

Also, keep scented oils away from kids who might be tempted to drink them. They can cause pneumonia or even death.
Parents should check carbon-monoxide detectors, too.