There's nothing like festive decorations to help get your family into the holiday spirit. But when it comes to small children, having so many ornaments lying around can quickly turn into a nightmare before Christmas.
One parenting educator and paramedic shared a terrifying story about the dangers of baubles.
Nikki Jurcutz and her sister run tinyheartseducation, an Instagram account dedicated to helping parents protect their children. She often shares stories that have been sent in by other parents to help illustrate how everyday objects can become hazards for very small kids.
Recently, Nikki posted one mother's story to help highlight how dangerous glass baubles can be.
The parent recalled how she had been taking festive photos with her 14-month-old daughter Savannah when the incident occurred.
"I’d gone all out with a backdrop and props and had some beautiful baubles nearby that my grandma had given me. I was watching Savannah the whole time, got her into position with a jingle bell toy," she wrote.
"Before I knew it she had scooped up this precious bauble and decided to bite it. As I turned around I heard a massive crunch, and it had exploded in her mouth."
The mother recounted how she tried to stay calm and remove all the fragments from her toddler's mouth.
"I was absolutely petrified inside and made sure she was okay. I knew the parts were so small, and had essentially exploded in her mouth."
After rushing her daughter to the children's hospital, the child was given X-rays and an all-over assessment to make sure she hadn't swallowed or inhaled any of the sharp fragments. Thankfully the tests came back clear, and Savannah and her mom were able to go home unscathed.
"I felt so lucky and relieved, and of course super emotional," the mother wrote, before ending her story with a word of warning to other parents.
"I just wanted to share because I know the Christmas season is upon us, and our little ones are attracted to shiny and bright objects. It happened within seconds and it could have ended up with surgery."
Many parents have taken to the comments section to share this frightening story and spread awareness.
"A great and scary reminder," wrote one parent.
"This is why I did not put the tree up this year and won’t until he is older," added another.
