There are crunchy leaves on the sidewalk and fun decorations on houses. It is time for the Halloween post. The last couple of years, with the pandemic swirling around us in 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. Even though Halloween centers on scary things, as I list all of the accidents and things to be wary of, my 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. Comfortable shoes! Anyone of you who has sacrificed comfort to wear their sexy high heels knows what I am talking about.
Make sure that no part of the costume is covering the ears so thoroughly that hearing might be impacted. Masks can sometimes obstruct a child's vision, so assess the fit. Non-toxic face paint and makeup are 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. Avoid anything in the eye area. Always test the makeup in a small area first. Always completely remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
Double check 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. This dress rehearsal is also a great time to make sure the costume is comfortable and not tight or itchy. 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 . 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 I was actually going to skip doing the Halloween post this year until I watched the news. Stories about Fentanyl that looks like candy caught my attention. Almost every year there are reports of pot laced candy, but Fentanyl kicks that up a notch and is much more serious. This drug is so dangerous that any contact with it can be extremely hazardous. 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. Anything that looks like it has been tampered with should get tossed. Ideally you only get candy from trusted sources in the first place. Most parents automatically check through the candy of all of the younger kids (pocketing some of the good stuff for themselves.) But sadly, I think it is important to sort through the candy bounty from your older kids as well. 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 if you are out driving, be especially alert for the trick-or-treaters.
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.
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. 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. If your child has diabetes, make a plan with them to see how much candy they can safely eat without seriously impacting their glucose levels.
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 By no means is Covid the only game in town these days. Flu, RSV and all sorts of colds are also making the rounds. So how to we stay healthy and still have fun? 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. Tips from Oath’s developmental specialist Mona Singhal Halloween with little ones Remember young children can’t always tell the difference between real and make believe. Give your kids a heads up that they may see some things like witches, pirates or ghosts that may look scary but it’s just friends playing dress up. Remind them that they will also see Elsas, Paw Patrol and their other favorite characters too! We want them to know there may be some scary moments but mostly some fun ones coming their way! Plan out the day with them. This will be a change in their routine so letting them know who you will be going trick or treating with and even talking about the path together will be helpful! “We are going trick or treating with your cousins and we will visit the pink house on peach street that we pass on the way to school!” A couple of highlights of the route is enough to help them feel like they know what to expect and this helps eliminate meltdowns. Wear comfortable clothing underneath their outfits! This way if the outfit gets uncomfortable (which it usually does) they can shed some layers while still sticking to the fun! Get your pictures in as soon as possible this way if dressing up isn’t going as planned you don’t have to stress it! A happy half pirate is better than a crying fully dressed one! Tips from an ER doctor. I asked my friend Dr. Sheila, who has worked at pediatric emergency rooms for many years what ER visits spiked up around the holiday. She said that tummy aches and constipation from all the extra candy were very common. She also sees an uptick of little pieces of candy being stuck in places that they don’t belong (like the nose.) Do you have wisdom to share? Over the years of doing this post, parents have written in with their tips Do you have something to share that isn't on my list? Bibi, one of my old patients' moms, 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 Glow sticks, they are generally non toxic. For the science nerds out there, this link is fun. https://www.glowtopia.co.uk/ Other resources 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 Annual Halloween map Here are some local Halloween activities for the 2022 season.
And because everyone needs a good laugh…. Here are some brilliant suggestions from Oath Contributor, comedian and author Raquel D’Apice Haven’t decided on a costume for your toddler for Halloween? Let your toddler’s own personality be your guide Here are three last-minute suggestions that are tried and true, and by “tried-and-true I mean “I came up with them on a whim, but I think they seem feasible?” For shy, overly clingy toddlers: Consider dressing your toddler up as a moth and then you yourself can dress up as literally any light source. (old fashioned lantern, candle, the moon). You won’t be upset that they spent literally the entire evening trying to get you to pick them up, you’ll just be thrilled that they committed to the costume so well. For non-clingy toddlers: Dress your toddler up as a gray sphere labeled “wrecking ball” and let them loose wherever the Halloween festivities are taking place. For Toddlers that like to explore, but lose their nerve after a few minutes and come back to you: Boomerang or yo-yo costume is the way to go. If we’re being totally honest, the yo-yo costume is basically just a frisbee costume with a child leash attached to it, but it’s super practical if you’re worried about your toddler getting lost and it meets the requirement of “Can I throw this costume together frantically in an hour after the kid has gone to bed?” Happy Halloween and best of luck! |
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