Article by Cassidy Yorks
Children of all ages dress up in costumes and travel from house to house to receive treats in response to their call of “trick or treat! Here at mountain reporter we want to give you 15 trick-or-treating safety tips to ensure a happy and healthy Halloween.
1. Pick out the right size costume: Make sure that costumes fit properly. Costumes should be well above the ground to avoid tripping, and kids should have full range of motion.
2. Keep it bright: Dark colors are obviously harder to see at night, so dress your kids up in bright costumes or add reflective accessories to dark costumes.
3. Use make up: Since masks can obstruct vision, create the same idea with face paint.
4. Test it out: Before the big day, try the face paint to make sure your child doesn’t have a skin reaction.
5. Choose non-flammable fabrics: Jack-o’-lanterns often have real candles inside, so opt for costumes with 100-percent synthetic fabrics like nylon, polyester and acrylic and avoid loose capes and glittery fabric, which tends to be more flammable. To cut the risk, light up your own pumpkin with a battery-powered tea light or LED “candle.”
6. Get your glow on: Light your kids up with glow sticks, bike lights clipped onto costumes and reflective tape. And give them a flashlight, or carry one with you.
7. Take the tiny trick-or-treaters: Little kids should always have an adult with them.
8. Go as a group: Older kids should travel together, stick to a route they’ve cleared with their parents, check in by phone regularly, and have a set curfew to return home.
9. Choose wisely: Don’t feel you have to hit every home on the block. Look for well-lit locations with pumpkins on display.
10. Stay on the step: Kids should never enter strangers’s homes.
11. Follow the rules of the road: Set a good example and only cross the street at established crosswalks. If you are driving in residential areas, take it slow.
12. Ask for help: Look for police officers or the Rogers Pumpkin Patrol if you require assistance or have any concerns to report.
13. Check it all out: Before you let your kids dive in, dump the entire candy bag out and inspect it all. Throw out any packages that look like they’ve been opened and any homemade or repackaged goods.
14. Be alert for allergens: If you’ve got a child with serious allergies or food sensitivities, read any unfamiliar labels before handing over the candy.
15. Brush up: Don’t skip the teeth-brushing routine! Sticky candies are cavities waiting to happen.
This article brought to you by Mountains Community Hospital.