It's Halloween: Expert Tips to Keep Kids Safe
Posted October 31, 2014 05:50 am
TALLAHASEE,
FL– Ghosts, goblins, and monsters will be walking
Florida neighborhoods in search of candy. While
Halloween is a time for fun and treats, it's also a
night full of dangerous situations. Dawne Gardner,
injury prevention coordinator at Cincinnati Children's
Hospital Medical Center, says a child is four times more
likely to be hit and killed by a car on "beggar's night"
than any other time.
"Kids are so excited," says Gardner. "They're darting across the street, and really not paying attention and there are more cars out, and more kids out, and it's dark and costumes are dark, so we definitely see an increased number of pedestrian injuries, pedestrian deaths."
Gardner
says children should be reminded of the rules of
crossing the street and to only travel in familiar
areas. She says those under the age of 12 should
trick-or-treat with an adult. Gardner says it's also a
good idea to make sure kids are visible to drivers by
having them carry a flashlight or putting reflective
tape on their costume.
When it comes to the costume, Gardner says there are
some things to keep in mind, including proper fit.
"Costumes that are too big cause a trip hazard," she
says. "We would prefer make-up instead of masks just
because it can cover a child's eyes, and then also
making sure the costumes are non-flammable so if they
happen to brush up against maybe a jack-o-lantern, they
don't catch fire."
Gardner says kids need to eat before they head out so
they don't binge on candy before it can be checked by an
adult at home. Her advice is for parents to carry their
own bag of candy with them while trick-or-treating.
"A candy that you know what it is, you know it's
age-appropriate, and that way if they get hungry on the
way you can feed them from that bag of candy you know
and that gives you time to then go home and check the
candy that they have," she says.
With Halloween falling on a weekend, Gardner says it's
especially important this year to talk to children about
safety.
"This year's supposed to be nice, kids are eager, it's
Friday, you know there's no school on Saturday, so they
will be out, they will be excited, they'll be less
likely to follow some of the rules if we're not
reminding them," says Gardner.
Photos/graphics and links added by the Observer | Cartoon: Paleo: Alternatives to Halloween Candy
This piece was reprinted by the Columbia County Observer with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.