Avoid Ghastly Errors This Halloween
Planning ahead can help keep treat-or-treaters safe

(HealthDay News) -- To kids, Halloween is all about dressing up as a favorite character and collecting a bag full of treats.

It's up to the parents to make sure the whole escapade goes off without a hitch. And that means more than not running out of candy. For adults, trick-or-treaters' safety is a concern.

National statistics suggest that Halloween night is more dangerous than most. From 1975 though 1996, an average of four children aged 5 to 14 died between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. every Oct. 31, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That compares with an average of one death during those hours on any other night of the year.

However, one expert thinks federal legislation extending Daylight Savings Time until the first Sunday in November, which started in 2007, might help protect kids by giving them more time to walk their neighborhoods before nightfall.

"Any little bit of light that we can get on this night, when so many children are out, is a plus," Dr. Seema Csukas, director of child health promotion at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, told HealthDay . "But that doesn't take away from the need to be safe and careful."

A few days before the big night, parents should talk to their kids about what to do -- and what to avoid -- so everyone knows and agrees to the rules, Csukas said. Parents and kids should establish a trick-or-treating route ahead of time, sticking to familiar neighborhoods, for example.

She also recommended that parents and children:

• Use designated crosswalks when crossing the street; don't dart between cars.
• Carry glow sticks for visibility or attach reflective tape to costumes.
• Approach houses from well-lit driveways and sidewalks, not dark lawns.

Halloween costumes can pose safety hazards as well. When purchasing an outfit, the Consumer Products Safety Commission advises parents to look for the words "flame resistant" on the label, indicating that the garment will resist burning and should extinguish quickly once removed from the ignition source.

The commission also recommends:

• Carrying flashlights.
• Dressing children in costumes that are short enough to prevent tripping and falling.
• Wearing well-fitting, sturdy shoes.
• Securing hats and scarves to prevent them from slipping over children's eyes.
• Applying a natural mask of cosmetics rather than using a loose-fitting mask that might restrict breathing or obscure vision. If a mask is used, make sure it fits securely and has eyeholes large enough to allow full vision.
• Avoiding sharp objects. Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.

As for that bag of treats: Parents should weed through the pile when their kids get home. Examine the haul for choking hazards and tampering, suggests the CDC. If a child has food allergies, remove any treats that might cause a reaction, adds the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Parents and kids should agree in advance on how much they eat at a time, and when they can eat it, advises the American Dietetic Association. The key is moderation.

On the Web

To learn more about ideas for a safe Halloween experience, visit the CDC online.

SOURCES: HealthDay News ; Seema Csukas, M.D., Ph.D., director of Child Health Promotion, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; American Dietetic Association, Chicago; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Milwaukee ; U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission, Bethesda , Md.
Author: Karen Pallarito
Publication Date: Sept. 30, 2008
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