(NE. RADIO NETWORK)--The holiday season brings family and friends near and the Nebraska Regional Poison Center wants everyone to have a wonderful time and safe time. The Center's Toxicologist Dr. Ron Kirschner says the holidays include out-of-town visitors and some may be on medications that need to keep them up and out of reach of little hands.

Dr. Kirschner says over 50% of the calls to the Poison center involve medications. Other concerns include the small disc batteries found in games, watches, remotes and musical greeting cards. If swallowed they can lodge in a throat and cause serious injury or death

In 2014, poison centers were consulted on nearly 94,000 cases of foreign body or disc battery ingestion.

Last year, poison centers managed nearly 11,000 cases of alcohol exposure to children under the age of six. With the holiday season in full swing, Dr. Ron Kirschner with the Nebraska Regional Poison Center wants to make sure that all children are safe.

Dr. Kirschner says remove all items that contain alcohol and keep it out of reach of small children. Alcohol can also be found in gifts such as perfume and cologne. Another concern is lamp oil. Many people decorate with lamps this time of year and to a child that bottle of oil can look like a beverage and if swallowed can cause serious injury.

he Nebraska Regional Poison Center also reminds visitors to keep their medications up and out of the hands of small children and never leave glasses of alcohol unattended. If there are questions or concerns, contact the Nebraska Regional Poison Center 24/7 at 1-800-222-1222.