Happy Halloween! Be Seen, Be Smart, Be Safe
Halloween is a magical time for children (and adults). They get to dress up, gather candy and tell jokes. Halloween tends to make medical professionals and law enforcement officers nervous because of the amounts of accidents and injuries that happen at this time of year.
We want all to have fun at Halloween and we hope these tips can help make Halloween safe and happy for everyone. To ensure adults and children have a safe holiday, the FDA compiled a list of Halloween safety tips.
Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe
- Make sure costumes are the right size to prevent trips and falls.
- Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape.
- Choose face paint where possible instead of masks, so as not to obstruct vision.
- Hold a flashlight or glow stick when trick-or-treating to help you see others and others see you.
- Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before sleeping to prevent skin or eye irritations.
Trick-or-treat Safety
- Children under 12 should have adult supervision or trick-or-treat at an organized event.
- If older children are going alone, they should plan and review a route that is well lit and familiar with their parent or guardian and trick-or-treat in groups.
- Teach children not to enter a stranger’s home or car.
- Stick to the sidewalk unless you are crossing a street.
- Look both ways when crossing the street.
- If children have allergies, they should examine all candy with an adult before eating it.
- Slow down in residential neighborhoods. Children are unpredictable when they are excited.
Drive Extra Carefully on Halloween
- Drive slowly and turn on your headlights to spot children from greater distances.
- Remove any distractions so you can concentrate on your surroundings.
- Take extra time to look at intersections.
- Exit and enter driveways slowly and carefully.
Our staff at Exemplar Care wishes everyone a happy and safe Halloween!
If accidents happen, our West Des Moines Urgent Care is open 24/7 365 days a year.
