Halloween safety and local activity guide |
In 2020, with the pandemic swirling around us with full force, Halloween was a watered down affair for most families. This year more people are trying to find a balance and do some safe celebrating. It is time for my Halloween post. Even though Halloween is all about being scared, as I list all of the accidents and things to be wary of, the intent is actually NOT to terrify you. Most of the things I mention are completely preventable! Imagine that getting your children safely through this holiday is somewhat like walking through a minefield, but I am putting a warning flag on top of each mine so that you can avoid stepping on one! Pumpkins Carving a pumpkin can be a very fun tradition. Please make sure that your child's level of participation is consistent with their age and ability. Watch out for the sharp implements and make sure you assign your younger child to the safer tasks (young kids can draw on the pumpkin rather than carving.) Clean up the mess. Pumpkin flesh is slippery and can cause falls and injuries when dropped on the floor. Layer newspaper or an old sheet under your carving work space and clean up spills right away so no one slips or trips. Skip the candles, which may cause fires. A burning candle in a pumpkin may become a blazing fire if left unattended. Instead, use a glow stick (available in many colors) or flameless candle to safely illuminate your jack-o'-lantern. Choosing a costume Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year! Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Have kids use glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. Is your dog going along with the trick or treaters? Have them wear a glow in the dark collar! When selecting a costume make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Be sure to wear something that is flame-resistant. Even if you have complied, remind your child that they need to pay very close attention to their surroundings and avoid walking near any candles or flames, especially if they have loose flowy costumes. If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of the costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if they stumble or trip. Make sure that no part of the costume is covering their ears so thoroughly that their hearing might be impacted. Since masks can sometimes obstruct a child's vision, try non-toxic face paint and makeup as another option. In past years some face paint came under fire for containing toxic ingredients such as lead. Be familiar with the ingredients before you apply anything to your child’s skin. Always test the makeup in a small area first. Always completely remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation. Make sure that your child doesn't have any latex sensitivity before you do too heavy of an exposure. Many Halloween masks are made of latex. I remember once that I actually had a patient who had an allergic reaction to the hair tinsel. You may want to do a test run of the costume and make up a couple of days ahead of time to rule out any allergies. On that note, make sure it is comfortable and not tight or itchy. This is my daughter’s first Halloween as a mommy. She is all set for the family to be the cast of Little Shop of Horrors. EJ is the plant. When he got his first glance of his mom wearing the blonde “Audrey” wig, he burst into tears. I think he is getting used to it, but we will see how it goes. My niece Lena is incredibly creative and for many years, when her son was younger, would put lots of time and energy into making fabulous costumes. (see the traffic cone photo below) More years than not, he would opt out at the last minute. The message here is not to get too invested. Take your photo ops early on while the getting is good. Trick or treat rules Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without you, remind them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups. Never go into a strangers house unless they are accompanied by a trusted grownup. Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during that time if you are out driving. A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating may discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats. Bring plenty of water along when you go trick or treating. Just trust me on this one. Make sure that your children know that after trick or treating, the grown up needs to pick through trick or treat bags and toss anything that looks suspicious. There was a warning out in Colorado several years ago about "pot laced" treats. That could happen here just as easily. Anything that looks like it has been tampered with should get tossed. Some candies are real choking hazards. If you have a younger child in the house, make sure they don't have access to the stash. If you have a child with nut allergies (I am sure this is NOT your favorite holiday) make sure that they turn over ALL the candy so that you can separate out anything that might cause trouble. My favorite allergist adds another piece of advice. Most of the time nuts may be just one of the ingredients, but as a general rule, kids who are allergic to nuts should also be able to identify the nuts that they are allergic to. If it is peanuts, make sure they know what an actual peanut looks like. Expecting trick-or-treaters or party guests? Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books, stickers, tattoos or even hand sanitizer. Provide healthier treats for trick-or-treaters such as low-calorie treats and drinks.(Okay, fine...maybe you don't want to be "that" house, but I had to put it on the list.) Be sure walking areas and stairs are well-lit and free of obstacles that could result in falls. 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. Covid tips As with all activities these days there is a risk/benefit analysis. Trick or treating outdoors with a small group should be pretty safe. Have some hand sanitizer spray that you can easily spritz if you are grabbing candy from a communal bowl. If you are going to be in a crowd, see if you have a costume that includes a nice protective mask as part of it. Now what do we do with all this candy??? Make a plan about how much candy they can eat at one time. It is okay to be a little more liberal than usual for a day or two, but come to an agreement about a reasonable candy intake over the next few weeks. My daughter Lauren was about 6 when she caught on that mom and dad were pilfering through her trick or trick bag and stealing all the good stuff. After that she guarded her stash more carefully. Remember that candy freezes (and some of it is actually better that way; frozen snickers bars, yum!) Some dentists and orthodontists have buy back programs, where they will give your child a reward for turning in their candy. Check with your dentist to see if they participate. In any event, you may need to be extra vigilant with teeth brushing this season. Over the years of doing this post, parents have written in with their tips. Do you have something worth adding? send it along! Bibi, one of my old patients' mom, instituted her own buyback program. Her kids could exchange candy for new lego pieces. Glow sticks are a favorite, but sure enough one of my patients bent a stick in order to activate it and broke and squirted in her mouth. While you do want to avoid unnecessary contact with the insides of a Glow sticks, they are generally non toxic. For the science nerds out there, this link is fun. If you are on the Next Door app, they have a brilliant map so you can see which of your neighbors are participating in the action Next door map https://about.nextdoor.com/ Here are some local Halloween activities for the 2021 season. |
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