Child Safety
Dressing up to go trick-or-treating is a traditional childhood ritual. But wandering the streets in the dark dressed in bizarre costumes and knocking on strangers’ doors to ask for food can pose hazards. To be sure your children have a Halloween that’s fun and safe, take these precautions.
* Choose white or bright costumes, preferably of flame-retardant fabric and marked with reflective tape.
* Be sure a costume is short enough so that your child won’t trip.
* Don’t let your trick-or-treaters wear masks, which can interfere with their vision. Instead, apply makeup to their faces.
* Trick-or-treaters should carry flashlights, not candles. Small children should be accompanied by an adult.
* Avoid trick-or-treating at homes on dark streets or in unfamiliar neighborhoods.
* Check all treats before your children eat them. Don’t let children eat candy or other treats that aren’t commercially wrapped or look as though they’ve been tampered with.
* Keep carved, candlelit pumpkins out of reach of young children. And be sure to set your jack-o’- lantern on a nonflammable surface.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine