Unmask Halloween Safety with our Spook-tacular Guide

Happy Fall! Halloween is just around the corner, and your East Portland pediatricians can practically hear the little witches and superheroes enthusiastically planning their costumes. 

 

While Halloween is all about fun and excitement, we can’t forget about safety. Check out these valuable tips to ensure a safe and happy Halloween for your lil’ pumpkins. 

 

Costume Safety and Comfort

Choosing the perfect costume is a highlight of Halloween, but parents need to make sure costumes are both comfortable and safe. 

 

Costumes that fit correctly will allow your child to move around, look fabulous and collect candy without worry. Watch the length to prevent tripping. 

 

Face masks can obscure vision. Consider using non-toxic face paints to create those spooky looks, but perform a patch test in advance.

 

Opt for bright or reflective materials. Consider adding reflective tape to increase visibility. You can also use glow sticks, flashlights or even LED costume accessories to make your child easily noticeable. If you can’t make it part of the costume, light-up goodie bags work too. An adult in your group should carry a flashlight to lead road crossings.

 

Inevitably, in Portland, it tends to start getting wet and cold right around Halloween. Think about how you can layer to keep kids warm and dry.

 

Trick-or-Treating: Safety in Numbers

Encourage your child to go trick-or-treating with friends or family members. Bigger groups are more easily seen — and it’s fun, too.

 

Kids younger than 12 or so should be accompanied by adults. If teens want to explore on their own, establish ground rules and a curfew. Make sure they have a phone for emergencies.

 

Candy Collection and Allergies

After the candy collecting is done, inspect your child’s loot. Discard any unwrapped or suspicious-looking items. Tampered Halloween candy is pretty much an urban myth. Still, it makes sense to stick with wrapped store-bought candy.

 

If your kiddo has allergies or sensitivities, make a plan ahead of time to swap their collected candy for something they can enjoy.

 

Does your family pick out one piece of candy to eat after you collect the loot? Or let kids have at it? There’s some value in occasionally letting kids choose how much dessert they want to have so they can learn their own limits. But that might not work for your family, or it might not work on Halloween due to all the excitement. Set up ground rules so your family knows the score ahead of time. (And don’t forget to brush when you’re done!)

 

Keep Your Community Safe

If you’re welcoming trick-or-treaters at your door, make sure your walkway and porch are well-lit to prevent accidents. Remove any obstacles or tripping hazards.

 

Driving on Halloween? Take extra care driving through your neighborhood, especially pulling out of driveways and turning. Urban legends about razor blades in apples sound scary, but the real terrifying statistic is that children are much more likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween than on any other day.

 

East Portland Pediatrics

Halloween is a fantastic time for children to express their creativity and indulge in sweet treats. By following these safety guidelines, you can make the holiday a fun and memorable experience for your family. Don’t forget to capture those precious moments with your little pumpkins and create lasting memories.

 

At East Portland Pediatric Clinic, we wish you and your children a safe, enjoyable Halloween. If you have any health-related concerns or questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

 

Have a BOO-tiful Halloween!