By Dr. Marisa Turner, a primary care physician at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, now Rady Children’s Hospital Orange County
Contributing columnist
I have happy childhood memories of Halloween.
While trick-or-treating, my older sister and I, accompanied by our mother, would go to houses in our neighborhood or where our cousin lived.
It was the 1980s, and I recall a few homeowners who would hand out loose change instead of candy. I bet that doesn’t happen much anymore! Maybe they now hand out gift cards?
One Halloween, my sister wore a Hulu dancer costume. The green plastic strand on her skirt shredded throughout the evening and left tracks to every house we visited.
My sister and I were pretty responsible, and trick-or-treating was always fun.
As a pediatrician for more than 15 years now, I find myself putting on my safety hat every October in the spirit of hoping that all young goblins and witches stay safe while trick-or-treating.
Here are tips to keep your young ones safe as they head out Oct. 31:
Costumes
Make sure they fit properly so your child won’t trip. Be wary of loose costumes coming into contact with lit candles.
Make sure shoes fit snugly.
Wear bright colors or put on reflective tape or stickers on costumes and treat bags.
Avoid masks. They usually are hard for kids to see through.
Safety in numbers
If your child is under 12, they should be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or older sibling.
Older kids should go trick-or-treating with a group and review the planned route with an adult before heading out. Also, make sure there’s a set time when they are expected to return home.
Make sure your child carries a cell phone and knows how to call home or 911 if there’s an emergency.
Remind them not to answer their phone or look at it while walking around – especially when crossing streets.
Safety while walking
Look both ways before crossing streets and try to use crosswalks whenever possible. Most Halloween-related injuries occur when overly excited kids dart across streets mid-block.
Have your child carry a flashlight or glow stick to be more visible and to see better when they are walking.
Stay on sidewalks as much as possible and in well-lit neighborhoods. And, avoid going to neighborhoods you’re not familiar with.
Knock on the doors of houses that have lights on and avoid the ones that don’t.
Never enter somebody’s house or car.
Minding the treats
Make sure your child has a snack or full meal before they go treat-or-treating. This will reduce the urge for them to sample their goodies while walking around. This is important because you should check all candy/treats before they are eaten.
Watch for choking hazards and allergy-triggering edibles.
Pumpkins
Keep little kids away from knives when you are carving. Have them draw designs on the pumpkin and empty the gooey stuff inside with their hands. That should keep them occupied.
Use battery-operated candles inside your pumpkin, not real ones.
