Halloween safety

October means Halloween fun for kids who celebrate the ghost day with enthusiasm and fun. Kids would love to wear best costume and get all those candies to fill their basket/bucket. Parents accompany toddlers and young children while they visit the neighborhood houses on a designated day.

However there are teen kids who would love to go out in costume slash parents. Parents should be cautious while stepping out with children or sending out children to walk through the community.

Children might get hurt or face risk of injury when they wear certain costume and their behavior can also put them under risk when they step out in dark. Fact is that children are more than twice as likely to be hit by an automobile and dye than any other day of the year.

Parents must guide children and instruct them how to be safe during Trick or Treat.

1. Decorate costumes, buckets, baskets with reflective stickers or tape. Choose light colored stickers and tape.
2. If kids prefer makeup apply nontoxic pain on child’s face or arms.
3. Costume should be of right size for kids – if not they may trip and fall
4. While using masks make sure their vision is proper and clear
5. If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child’s costume, make sure it is not sharp or long to avoid getting hurt, trip or fall.
6. Children under the age 13 should not be alone at night and must be accompanied by adults.
7. For those children who would like to go out with friends, tell them to stick to familiar areas around your home and stick to the timings – generally between 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
8. If strangers offer treats on side walk or on roads – kids should not accept it.
9. Once they bring back their treat, go through the treats to make sure there is nothing unusual stuffs in the treat.
10. Tell your child to take precautions while crossing roads -to: look for cars, use reflective gear, walk with a group, and carry a flash light.

Other Points to remind your young adults:

• Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
• Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
• Carry a cellphone for quick communication.
• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
• Never cut across yards or use alleys.
• Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or out driveways.
• Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn’t mean others will!
• Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

CDC- Center for Disease Control has provided “SAFE HALLOWEEN” tips to make sure kids are healthy and safe.

S: Swords, knives, and other costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

A: Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

F: Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

E: Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

H: Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. WALK and don’t run from house to house.

A: Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.

L: Look both ways before crossing the street. Use crosswalks wherever possible.

L: Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

O:Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

W: Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

E: Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.

E: Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Never accept rides from strangers.

N: Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

How to make it healthy treat for kids?

A good meal or early supper before the parties and trick-or -treat will discourage them filling up their treats.

• Buy small size treats and add few non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books or pens and pencils.
• As mentioned above, examine your child’s treat closely. There might be spoiled, suspicious, unwrapped treats. If you are not convinced then take control and throw it away.
• Try to ration treats for next several days.

Parents! If you are hosting a party for kids and adults take following precautions:

•  Provide healthier treats for trick-or-treaters such as low-calorie treats and drinks. For guests, offer a variety of fruits and vegetables.
• Use party games and trick-or-treat time as an opportunity for kids to get their daily dose of 60 minutes of physical activity.
• Be sure walking areas and stairs are well-lit and free of obstacles that could cause someone to fall.
• Keep candle-lit jack o’lanterns and luminaries away from doorsteps, walkways, landings, and curtains. Place them on sturdy tables, keep them out of the reach of pets and small children, and never leave them unattended.
• Remind drivers to watch out for trick-or-treaters and to drive safely.

Follow above safety tips to make the festivities fun and safe for everyone.

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References:

1. https://www.cdc.gov
2. https://www.aap.org

Image credit: Photo by Alexandru Georgescu from Pexels (Free for commercial use)