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Doctor shares Halloween safety tips
A metro Atlanta emergency room physician says there are several things to keep in mind to help make Halloween safe for your kids.
ATLANTA - Whether you are welcoming trick-or-treaters or are a parent preparing to take your kids out to get their candy, there are several things to keep in mind to help make Halloween safe.
"There's a lot. There's a lot of things that parents need to think about on Halloween." Dr. Maneesha Agarwal said.
Agarwal is an emergency room physician at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She said one of the first things parents need to think about is what costume their children are wearing. If you are driving with your child in an outfit, it's important they can still fit safely in their car seat or booster seat or a regular seat with a seatbelt. If not, they should drive in their normal clothing and change at the location.
"Costumes have their own dangers, so some basics: you want to make sure that the costume fits well, that your children are able to move easily, and that there aren't any tripping risks or tripping hazards," Agarwal said.
According to AAA, children on average are more than twice as likely to be hit and killed on Halloween than any other day of the year. Agarwal said it's important to make sure kids are using sidewalks, are looking both ways, and are not on their phones.
"Especially understanding that Halloween is so, so exciting, so kids might be prone to being a little bit more chaotic and running around more than typical," she said.
Children wear costumes as they trick or treat at the annual Halloween party October 31, 2022 in Charlotte, Vermont. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
For drivers, it's important to drive slowly - even five miles under the speed limit, so that you can be on the lookout for children in neighborhoods.
Paying attention to what your kids eat is also critical on Halloween.
"A lot of the wonderful candies your kids are going to bring home could potentially be choking hazards for small kids. So a typical hazard is something that is small and very, very hard or kind of soft and malleable, that can really lock and conform in your child's airway." Agarwal said.
That also means making sure your children are not eating anything they shouldn't, including potential allergens or even cannabis in treats. That's an issue Agarwal says they see in the emergency room almost every day.
"It's also important that the parents are checking the labels on what their child brought home on Halloween night and there are not any surprises in the candy or the goodies they brought home." she said.
If you expect trick-or-treaters at your house, you can help keep everyone safe. The Red Cross says you should keep your area well-lit, sweep leaves from your sidewalks and steps, and clear any tripping hazards.