Last year holiday decorations were the cause of roughly 14,000 injuries. DoctorsCare has all you need to know when it comes to keeping you and your family safe this holiday season
While the holiday season is supposed to be fun and joyful, it can also lead to injuries. Below are some tips that you can follow to avoid a trip to DoctorsCare.
Decorations
- Roughly 1,000 people get hurt each year while decorating their homes.
- Adults fall while using ladders or unstable chairs to hang lights or decorations out of their reach.
- Glass decorations can break and should be out of reach of children and pets.
- If one breaks, make sure everyone leaves the area, carefully sweep up all broken pieces, and vacuum to ensure you got all of the small shards of glass.
- Christmas lights can cause shocks or burns if they’re faulty.
- Test them before hanging, and don’t overload your electrical sockets.
Choking Hazards
- Keep small decorations or ornaments out of reach from young children and pets.
- Christmas lights are a choking hazard for small children as well.
- If you place candy or nuts or other snacks out in dishes, keep them out of reach from children.
- Make sure they’re not in a place where your pet could get to either.
Real Christmas Trees
- Christmas trees are extremely flammable.
- Again, check your lights before hanging them on the Christmas tree, and do not overload sockets.
- Keep your tree watered, so it doesn’t dry out as fast.
- When needles start dropping, it means your tree is drying out and becomes even more of a fire hazard.
- Do not light candles near your tree.
Be Careful in the Kitchen
- If you’re preparing food, be sure to properly sanitize your kitchen surfaces before and after, especially when handling raw meat or fish.
- Avoid exposing your skin to steam, as steam burns are a common injury when preparing food.
- Be careful when taking food in and out of the oven to prevent burning.
- Use caution when using sharp knives and keep all sharp objects out of reach from children.
If you find yourself getting injured, DoctorsCare can treat cuts, minor burns, sprains, strains, and other medical situations requiring immediate care but not life-threatening.
Our providers are specially trained in Urgent Care and Emergency Medicine. Visit one of our two conveniently located offices in Clarksville. We accept walk-in patients of all ages during all hours of operation. No appointment is necessary! Walk-in, feel better!