Fast Friday: A Safe and Fun Halloween

Dr. Randy Martin: Halloween is meant to be fun, but it is also should be safe. Here are my tips to keep your children safe as they trick-or-treat this year.

• Prevent injuries from costume props. If your child’s costume includes a sword or other prop, be sure it is soft, short and flexible to reduce the chance of injury.
• Travel in groups. Be sure your child travels in a group while trick-or-treating and if he or she is very young, parental supervision is a must.
• Use reflective tape. You can apply reflective tape directly to a costume – both front and back – so trick-or-treaters can be easily spotted by drivers at night.
• Give kids a flashlight to use after dark so they can easily see where they are going.
• Examine all candies and treats before you let your child consume them. If something is unwrapped or if they receive a homemade goody from someone you don’t know, toss it. Remember: when in doubt, throw it out.
• Have your child try on his or her costume before Halloween night. Make sure the costume isn’t too long and that they can walk safely in it. Don’t let children wear high heels or any type of shoes that are difficult to walk in.
• If your child is a wearing a mask, be sure he or she can see out of the eye holes. If they can’t, you can adjust the mask to make the eye holes bigger.
• Be sure all costumes are flame-retardant.
• If you use face paint, do a spot test first to make sure your child isn’t allergic to chemicals in the paint. When they get home, remove the paint as soon as possible to prevent an allergic reaction.
• Emphasize to children that they should look both ways before crossing the street, use cross walks and pay strict attention to traffic.

Have a great and safe Halloween!