Have A Howlin’ Safe Halloween
For many people, Halloween is just a night filled with fun and treats; but for others, it can be truly scary.
The McDonald County Health Department offers the following tips to help ensure families have a howlin’ safe Halloween this year.
Plan ahead: Talk to children about trick-or-treat safety rules. Feed them a light snack before they go so they won’t be tempted to eat treats before you’ve checked them over. Young babies or toddlers may be frightened by things they see. Plan ahead on when you take them trick-or-treating and try to keep them on their regular schedule as much as possible.
Choose a safe costume: Make sure costumes are flame-resistant and short enough that they won’t become a trip-hazard. Try to choose a costume without a weapon. Even cardboard or foam weapons can still hurt people. Choose brightly colored costumes, or add reflective stripes to dark costumes so that trick-or-treaters
can be easily seen by motorists. Encourage your child to carry a flashlight or glow stick for added visibility. Masks can block your child’s vision and make cars and tripping hazards hard to see. You can use makeup instead but, first, test it on your child’s wrist to make sure it will not cause an allergic reaction.
Trick-or-Treat safely: Trick-or-treat with your child, or remind older children to stay with a group of friends. Have a plan in case they get separated. Review the route in advance and set a time for children to be home. Make sure they are carrying a cell phone in case they get lost. Remind your child never to enter a stranger’s house or get in a car with a stranger.
Check treats: Remind your children not to eat any treats until you’ve had a chance to look through them. Check all treats in a well-lit area and throw away anything not wrapped in original packaging or factory sealed.
With a few safety steps, you can ensure your family has a howlin’ safe Halloween this year.
Public health — working every day for healthier families, healthier communities, healthier you.
Learn more by calling 417-223-7122 or by visiting www.mcdonaldcountyhealth.com.