health
As an emergency physician, I get to see the festive season from both sides – the joy and the chaos. Every December, preventable childhood accidents spike, but with a few simple changes, we can keep little ones safe and make the holidays joyful, relaxed, and truly memorable.
By Dr Mideé Potgieter, specialist in emergency medicine and head doctor for the Life Kingsbury Hospital 24-hour Emergency Unit
The festive season is magical: twinkling lights, family gatherings, and that special summer energy that makes December so wonderful. However, as emergency doctors, we see the flip side of the festivities every year. This season brings a predictable spike in preventable childhood accidents, from decoration mishaps to pool emergencies. The good news? Most of these can be avoided with a few simple tweaks to your celebrations, so everyone can relax and enjoy the season safely.
Smart decorating
Let’ s be honest, toddlers and Christmas trees are a recipe for adventure. If you can, anchor your tree to the wall( even just a piece of fishing line works wonders). Pop the precious glass baubles higher up and save the plastic ones for the bottom branches where little hands can explore safely. And tinsel? Maybe skip it – it’ s surprisingly dangerous if swallowed.
Fairy lights are beautiful, but do check for frayed wires before stringing them up. Batteryoperated LED lights are brilliant for families with babies and crawlers – no heat, no worries about pulling cords.
Festive food fun
The holidays bring out all the delicious treats, but some foods need extra thought when you’ ve got little ones around. Keep whole nuts, honey( for babies under one), and festive cocktails out of reach.
At gatherings, grapes and cherry tomatoes are party favourites – slice them lengthwise for kids under five. If you’ re hosting, having a kids’ table at their height means you can keep a casual eye on what’ s going down the hatch.
Pool time relaxation
Nothing says South African summer quite like a braai by the pool! Just make sure there’ s an adult always watching the water. Rotate the responsibility so everyone gets a break.
Good pool fencing is your friend, and while floaties and arm bands are great, they’ re backup – not babysitters.
Keeping your sanity intact
Perfect festive seasons exist only on Instagram. Try to keep bedtimes somewhat consistent, have your firstaid kit handy, stay grounded, and give yourself permission to keep things simple.
The best gift you can give your children is your presence, not perfection. A slightly chaotic picnic with lots of laughter beats a pictureperfect setup where you’ re too stressed to enjoy it.
Happy holidays, and here’ s to a safe, joyful, wonderfully imperfect festive season! �
24 www. babysandbeyond. co. za