Common Tips To Help Increase Halloween Safety

From Blog.CookiesKids.com:

[Image by Anika Malone]

From Aaron Miller, M.D. at ChildrensMD:

The Costume

• Dark costumes are hard to see at dusk or dark. Consider a light colored costume or adding reflective tape (available at most hardware stores).

• Masks with small holes make seeing difficult. Consider face paint instead.

• Avoid costumes that drag along the ground and can lead to falling.

The Street

• Drive extra slowly when going through neighborhoods, especially where there are parked cars that children can run out from behind.

• Cross the street with your children as few times as possible by going to all houses on one side, then switching to the houses on the opposite side of the street.

• Have children trick-or-treat in groups which includes at least one responsible adult.

• Have children carry a flashlight to help them see and be seen better.

[Image by Gudlyf]

The Candy

• Avoid homemade goods unless you know the neighbor.

• Avoid candy that is not properly wrapped.

• Consider healthier treats for trick-or-treaters, such as individual packs of raisins, trail mix, or pretzels.

• Consider having your children turn their candy into cash through the Halloween Candy Buy Back Program. This program, usually run out of participating dentist offices, gives one dollar for every pound of Halloween candy. This candy is, in turn, then sent as part of a care package to troops serving overseas. 

[Image by Anika Malone]

The Home

• Be careful of pumpkins or other decorations with lit candles, as they can lead to fire.

• Make sure your smoke detector batteries have been replaced recently.

• Be careful of decorations and wires that can trip or injure children.

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Are these tips that you have heard of and utilized before? What rules and suggestions to you tell your kids every year when they go out trick-or-treating?

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