Halloween time!
By: Meghan Lynch Ljubi, DO.
Zest Pediatrics of Westlake
Fall is here! Time for pumpkins, pumpkin spice everything, cooler weather, apple picking, and Halloween! Let’s review some health and safety guidelines for all ages to make this a wonderful, safe Halloween for everyone!
Set expectations early!
For older kids who may be venturing out on their own this year, discuss a plan starting a few weeks prior to Halloween. Plan a trick-or-treating route with them in a familiar and well lit area. Remind them to stick with their friend group, only go to homes with their porch light on, never to enter someone’s home or car that they do not know, and review pedestrian safety. Halloween is a very busy time on the neighborhood streets. Drivers and trick-or-treaters both need to be more aware in order to avoid accidents. Children are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other day. Remind your children to cross the street at crosswalks, corners or traffic signals, be aware of parked cars and cars that may be backing out of driveways, pay attention, and avoid looking at cell phones while walking or driving. Set an acceptable curfew so your child knows when they need to be home.
Costume Planning
Many kids plan their Halloween costumes all year and cannot wait to dress up. Try to stick with light or bright colored, fire resistant costumes that are more visible as it gets dark. To make costumes more visible in the evening, you can use reflective tape or glow stick necklaces or bracelets and encourage your child to carry a flashlight with them. Ensure costumes fit appropriately to avoid trips and falls. Masks can obstruct vision and increase the risk of accidents. Try an alternative like non-toxic make-up or a well-fitting hat or wig to complete the costume. If using make-up, plan ahead and test it on your child’s arm 24-48 hours prior to using on the face. This will decrease the likelihood of an irritation reaction; be sure to wash all make up off prior to bed. Avoid hazardous costume accessories such as swords, canes, sticks or sharp objects which can lead to injury if used improperly and increase their tripping risk. Also, avoid decorative contact lenses that are not properly fitted by an eye doctor. Using these can lead to different eye disorders, infection and even vision loss.
Enjoying Treats
Leading up to Halloween, start talking about how to appropriately enjoy Halloween treats. Encourage your child not to eat too much to avoid them feeling ill and encourage healthy habits. Set up a plan for after Halloween as well so your child knows what to expect as they continue to enjoy their bounty of candy through the weeks, months or maybe even year! Especially for younger children, avoid having treats until you are home in order to properly check them and avoid a choking hazard as they are running from house to house. If your child has any food allergies, review with them what they need to avoid and stick with prepackaged, commercially-made treats to avoid potential allergen exposure.
Decorating
Pumpkin decorating can be a wonderful fall activity to enjoy with your kids. Avoid pumpkin carving with younger kids to avoid injuries. Great alternatives can be drawing or painting pumpkins or other fall decorations. If carving yourself or with older children, review appropriate use of tools to avoid injury and be sure kids are always supervised. Consider alternatives to candles to light up pumpkins like glow sticks, LED candles and flashlights to decrease fire risk, especially during trick or treating. Remove any hazards from walk ways at your home, and if you do choose to use candles, never leave them unattended when lit.
Don’t forget the little ones!
Halloween can be a fun but also overwhelming time for our toddlers and babies. Help to prepare them by talking about what to expect, reading Halloween stories and trying on costumes early to get them used to how everyone may look different. The idea of pretending to be something else can be a hard concept to grasp in our little ones! Reassure them that you are still there and avoid masks so they can recognize a familiar face. Plan back ups! Little kids get messy and love to change their minds at the last minute so having a back up plan can help you avoid a pre-trick-or-treating melt down. If your child decides they do not want to go trick-or-treating let them help pass out candy to the bigger kids and try again next year. Going out early can help to avoid changes in bedtime routine and your child becoming overtired and more irritable. Truck or treats in the afternoon can be a great option for smaller kids as well. When it comes to treats for our little ones remember to check their treat bags for choke hazards prior to allowing them to dig in or ration them yourself. Be sure to avoid hard candies, popcorn, gum, gummies, seeds or nuts, caramel apples, small toys, wrappers and stickers which can all be harmful and lead to choking.
Remembering some safety tips and preparing before can make Halloween more enjoyable and a little less stressful for everyone!! Have a happy and safe Halloween!
