Halloween night safety checklist for parents (Sat, Oct 31)

Steps

1. Costumes: make sure costumes and shoes fit and are short enough not to trip on. Add reflective tape or glow sticks, look for "flame resistant" on labels, and consider face paint (patch-test it first) instead of a mask that blocks vision.
2. Skip decorative contact lenses unless an eye care professional has examined your child and written a prescription. The AAP notes they're a medical device.
3. Young kids: an adult goes along. Older kids: go in a group, agree on the route and a check-in time, and carry a flashlight.
4. Street rules: cross as a group at crosswalks, never between parked cars, stay on sidewalks and well-lit streets, and put phones away while walking.
5. Feed everyone a meal before heading out, so nobody snacks from the bag on the way.
6. At home, check every treat before eating. Throw out anything unwrapped, torn, discolored or with tiny pinholes. The FDA says not to eat anything that isn't commercially wrapped.
7. Little ones: remove choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candy and small toys.
8. Food allergies: read every label, skip home-baked treats, and carry any prescribed epinephrine. Look for houses with a teal pumpkin, which signals non-food treats.

If you're handing out treats

• Clear the porch and path of hoses, toys and wet leaves, check outdoor lights, and keep pets away from the door.
• Use a flameless candle or flashlight in jack-o'-lanterns, and keep any lit pumpkin away from where visitors walk.
• Offer a bowl of non-food treats (glow sticks, stickers, pencils) and add your address to FARE's Teal Pumpkin Project map so families managing food allergies can find you.

Teen drivers

The AAP says child pedestrian injuries are more likely on Halloween than on any other night, and suggests clear rules for teens who drive: slow down in neighborhoods, especially near driveways, alleys and parked cars.

For PTAs

Share your school's costume policy for any daytime parade or class party, and remind families that home-baked treats can be a problem for classmates with food allergies. A teal pumpkin at a school trunk-or-treat is an easy way to include everyone.

Sources

HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics): Halloween Fun & Safety Tips for Kids of All Ages — https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Halloween-Safety-Tips.aspx

FDA: Halloween Food Safety Tips for Parents — https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/halloween-food-safety-tips-parents

FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education): Teal Pumpkin Project — https://www.foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/awareness-campaigns/teal-pumpkin-project

Related

• October school-parent checklist
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• November school-parent checklist

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