ER doctor shares 5 popular Christmas presents she would never buy a child

If you've got little ones, we bet Santa's already planning on delivering at least one of these items.

4 min read

December 11, 2023 - 10:40AM

ER nurse shares what kids presents will likely land your kid in hospital

Lifestyle

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They might be high up on the list for Santa to bring come Christmas day, but a doctor has warned against some popular items that almost guarantee a trip to the emergency department over the holiday period.

Paediatric emergency doctor and mum of four @dr.beachgem10 has taken to social media to share her top five items she would never consider buying a child because of the many horror stories she has witnessed during her shifts in the children's ward.

The ER doctor warns against many popular items. Image: Facebook / dr.beachgem10

"Top five Christmas gifts that can land your kid in the emergency department," the doctor, dressed in her scrubs, begins the post.

And then comes the list - starting with one item that shouldn't surprise any parent.

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#5 - Anything with a button battery

"They keep those little compartments closed with those little cheap screws. It's not worth it. They can literally kill kids and they do every year," she shares.

The inclusion didn't surprise many parents, who appeared to be so over the warning of button batteries around kids and just want them gone forever.

"I’ve NEVER understood why every kid toy has a deadly battery in it. I open the thing up, use super glue and when it goes out the toy gets thrown away. There needs to be a law banning them especially in children’s toys," one person insisted.

And another agreed: "Button batteries should be illegal!"

Anything that requires a button battery. Image: iStock

#4 - Water Beads

"These are sold as sensory toys but little kids can ingest them when they're small and they can get larger and cause bowel obstructions. Don't mess with these and little kids," she warns.

And that also goes for other curious animals in the home.

"They can cause problems with pets, too."

Water beads can cause all sorts of problems. Image: iStock

#3 - Electric Scooters

"Kids go way too fast on these. They hit a bump, they go flying. They mess up their faces, their arms, their heads. It's bad news," she claims.

If your child has this one on their Christmas list, it might be time to reconsider. Not just because of the safety warning, but also because they are illegal around most of Australia.

These scooters don't follow Australian safety standards and can't be registered, making them illegal for road use. Privately-owned e-scooters can be ridden on private properties.

For more comprehensive info, click here.

It's a big no to electric scooters. Image: iStock

#2 - Hover Boards

"We see so many hover board injuries right after Christmas," the doctor admits. "They break their forearms and their elbows and sometimes their heads."

But it's not just the physical injuries that parents should be worried about. They also pose a serious risk inside the home.

"They can literally light your house on fire," she adds.

And one person sadly had a story to prove it in the comments.

"A student in my class got a hover board for Christmas one year, it was charging in the garage, caught fire, the family lost their entire home and puppy 😭 NOT WORTH IT!!!!"

Hover boards are the cause of many horrible injuries found in the ER. Image: iStock

#1 - Trampolines

"Number one should not be a surprise to anyone. I detest trampolines," the doctor admits. "They literally keep the emergency department and the orthopedics team in business."

And before you claim that you've got one of the 'safe' and 'expensive' ones. The doctor isn't buying that excuse.

"It doesn't matter if you've got a net, it doesn't matter if they're buried in the ground. Most of the injuries actually happen ON the trampoline. Also, your insurance company also hates trampolines."

Trampolines are one of the most popular items to buy around this time of year, so listing it as number one was a big sting.

"I want a trampoline so bad (for my kid, obviously 😂 or not…) and my paramedic husband refuses!" one person commented.

But others shared stories that cemented why it was the top no-no.

"Broke my ankle on a mini trampoline on Christmas Morning! 🙋🏻‍♀️"

Trampolines are listed as the top item to avoid. Image: iStock

S0, should we really be worried?

So how worried should we actually be if one of these items (or more) are on our kids' Christmas list?

According to Dr Sam Hay, while we need to be careful as parents, we don't need to go around feeling terrified.

"Christmas is an amazing time of year. There's baby Jesus and then there are presents. When you share the love of Christmas, what's better than the smile a kid gets when they receive the perfect present?" he asks.

"Every kid LOVES to have a completely boring risk-free Christmas don't they?" he adds. "If kids don't take some risks in life, how are they ever going to cope in the real world?"

Sam says while we should seriously consider the messages presented to us by the ER doctor, we also need to be realistic.

"Be safe, but also let kids be kids," he insists.

"Make sure battery compartments are secure and make sure kids keep loose batteries out of their mouth!" he says.

"If you buy a fast-moving toy, then also buy a helmet and don't start practicing at the top of a hill.

"Sure trampolines can be tricky to start with but teach them to bounce safely at the beginning. And dad, perhaps give it a miss after a few drinks on Christmas day!"