Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 28, 1995 TAG: 9511280119
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short
Parents may want to rethink putting up some common holiday decorations and need to be aware of what they put under the Christmas tree, poison control experts say.
Parents ``should keep in mind that it's perfectly natural for children under the age of about 4 years to taste anything they can get their hands on,'' said Evelyn Waring, a poison information specialist at Virginia Commonwealth University's Medical College of Virginia Hospitals.
American mistletoe, while not as dangerous as the European variety, can cause poisoning in children if more than two berries are ingested, said Waring, a registered nurse.
Like mistletoe, holly also is considered poisonous.
``The berries are small and bright red, easily chewed up, very attractive to children,'' Waring said. ``Ingestion of more than a couple of those berries can cause a syndrome somewhat similar to the flu.''
Waring suggests using fake plants or putting real plants out of reach of children.
She encourages anyone who suspects a child has been exposed to a potential poison to contact a regional poison control center. The centers are open 24 hours a day.
Western Virginia residents may call the Blue Ridge Poison Center at 1-800-451-1428.
by CNB