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It's the holiday time of year, and maybe you'll be having kid visitors.

How much do you need to worry about kid-proofing your place?

Toddlers are super fast and can get into things, and so it's very easy for things to happen.

It's Tuesday, December 10th, and you're listening to Science Friday.

I'm SciFright producer Charles Burgquist.

Today, we take a trip to the poison control center.

Their number, of course, is 1-800-222-2-2-2. But what happens when you call them? What should you do if a kid has

swallowed something they shouldn't? And what household risks should you really be worried about

around the holidays? Here's Ira Flato. Joining me now to talk about some of the toxin and poison threats around your home this time of

the year is Dr. Singhi Feng, Professor of Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center,

specializing in pediatric emergency medicine. And she's also a medical toxicologist with the North Texas Poison Center

that's in Parkland, Texas, near Dallas. Welcome to Science Friday. Thank you for welcoming me.

Let's get right into this. There's so many good things to talk about. Of course, there's this

conventional wisdom that holidays are busier than normal in the emergency

room due to kids doing unexpected things. Is that truly the case? It is truly the case.

Kids in general always are getting into things, but I think over into holidays, we are always

worried about potential things that they can get into. Certainly a lot of family

gatherings, I think going to grandma and grandpaws. Oftentimes, grandma and grandpa don't remember

that toddlers are super fast and can get into things. And so it's very easy for things to happen

during the course of, you know, an evening or even a week if they're spending time with the grandparents.

Okay. Let's get into some of those things they can get into. And one of the things you hear to be careful about is the holiday greenery.

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