Popular Plants for the Holidays

With poisoning being one of the most common childhood injuries, parents are cautious when it comes to household cleaners, medication, and other toxic materials. However, houseplants are often overlooked when childproofing a house for baby and toddler safety. With the holidays fast approaching, it's important to determine which common plants that are often displayed during the season are safe and which may be harmful to your baby.

Holly: Loved for it's evergreen leaves and bright red, festive berries, holly is a popular plant for wreaths, centerpieces and garland during the holiday season. However, the berries can wreak havoc on a little stomach, causing stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. If you must use real holly in your décor, be sure to display it out of reach of small hands. Vacuum often to avoid a fallen berry getting into the mouth of your baby or toddler.

Poinsettias: Poinsettias, with their bright red leaves, go hand-in-hand with the holidays. But have these popular plants gotten a bad rap due to rumors of their toxicity? It's true that this plant is related to some highly-toxic plants. However, the poinsettia itself isn't harmful to humans. It is said, in fact, that a child weighing 50 pounds would have to eat over 500 leaves of the plant in order to reach a level of toxicity. Furthermore, no deaths from consuming a poinsettia have ever been documented. It's safe to say, then, that the poinsettia can continue to take center-stage in your holiday decorating without being a safety concern for your baby.

Mistletoe: Mistletoe is part of a well-loved tradition during the holidays. Hung in a doorway or from the ceiling, couples are encouraged to kiss when meeting under its green leaves and white berries. However, all parts of this plant are highly toxic to humans, causing severe stomach pain with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. This holiday season, forgo real mistletoe...the tradition works just as well with an artificial specimen. If you think your child has eaten mistletoe, seek immediate medical help or contact the National Poison Control Center.

Philodendron: Popular for its bright green foliage and ease of care, the philodendron is displayed during the holiday season, as well as throughout the rest of the year. All parts of this plant are considered toxic to humans and pets. Eating the leaves or stem of the philodendron may cause irritation and swelling of the mouth and tongue, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Be sure that your child can't reach any part of this vining plant.

These are just a few of the many plants displayed throughout the holiday season. Educate yourself about the plants that you have in your home throughout the rest of the year. Be sure to keep plants out of reach of children, and always have the number for Poison Control displayed somewhere in your home.

Sources:
Medicine Net: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55606
Drugs.com http://www.drugs.com/enc/mistletoe.html
Medline Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002872.htm