10 Halloween Safety Tips for Families

When we think of Halloween, we picture children laughing in colorful costumes, jack-o-lanterns glowing in house windows, and buckets brimming with candy and treats.

Experts warn, however, that this fun-filled night can pose safety hazards. Keep these 10 reminders in mind to make sure that your kids have a safe Halloween, courtesy of . 

1. Safe Costumes: Make sure your child’s costume is flame-resistant and manageable. Avoid top-heavy costumes that could topple him or flowing costumes that could get wound around her feet and cause her to fall. Avoid using anything around the neck that may pose a strangulation hazard, and skip the high heeled shoes.

“The last thing any child or parent wants is to end up in the emergency room hurt and unable to celebrate Halloween,”said  Daniel Checco, emergency medicine physician at the Silver Cross Free-Standing Emergency Care Center in Homer Glen.

2. Avoid Masks: For the littlest trick-or-treaters, you may want to avoid masks all together. They may be frightening to the wearer, impede vision, make it difficult to breathe and increase the risk that your child may fall.

“Apply a natural mask of cosmetics rather than have a child wear a loose-fitting mask that might restrict breathing or obscure vision,” Checco said. “If a mask is used, however, make sure it fits securely and has eyeholes large enough to allow full vision to avoid trips and falls.

3. Check Food: Remind kids not to eat or drink anything that is given to them until a parent looks it over first. This includes not only Halloween treats, but any potions or weird substances that might be part of a haunted house or Halloween decorations. Make sure kids know that even though things may look like food, they might not be.

4. Trick-or-Treat With Parents: Make sure that your child’s judgment, maturity, and safety awareness are well-developed before allowing him to trick-or-treat without a parent. If they do venture out alone or with mom and dad, make sure you are equipped with a cell phone in case of an emergency. Silver Cross Hospital has just launched a or a family member’s life in an emergency. The ICE (In Case of Emergency) application creates one location to conveniently store information about your health conditions and current medications, along with emergency contacts.

5. Go Out Before Dark: Young children may feel safer trick-or-treating before it gets too dark. The intensity of the evening, coupled with the “scary” themes, may be overwhelming for some little ones.

6. Know the Home: Go only to homes you know. Make sure houses are well-lit, indicating that they are welcoming trick-or-treaters as well as providing a safe walking space for your little ones.

7. Lawn Hazards: Avoid using real candles in pumpkins on doorsteps. Also remove obstacles kids could trip over from lawns and walking paths.  Keep an eye out for the same at homes you visit.

8. Bring Flashlights: If your kids will be trick-or-treating in the dark, make sure they have flashlights. Remind them to stay on the alert for traffic. Consider attaching reflective tape to their costumes so they are more easily seen by motorists.

9. Recalled Food: Watch out for allergies or recall food. When checking kids’ loot, be on the lookout for food your child may be allergic to, as well as any recalled foods or items that may pose a choking hazard for kids under 5.

10. Pumpkin Carving: Be super careful with knives when carving pumpkins.

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