For Parents on Halloween: Tips for a Happy and Safe Holiday

Halloween is a special time for kids and parents alike. But it can be important for parents to exercise some caution, as some activities can create potential hazards, especially for younger children.

To help keep the holiday healthy and fun, Tessa Scripps, MD, Assistant Professor, General Pediatrics, at the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, offers parents some simple tips around picking a costume and trick-or-treating safety. She also shares advice on handling treats and how to navigate trick-or-treating with food allergies, including the significance of the teal pumpkin.

Costumes:

• When choosing a costume, make sure it fits well and is comfortable to prevent falls and ensure that your child can enjoy the evening.
• Be mindful that temperatures on Halloween can vary significantly and that costumes can sometimes be too hot or too cold depending on the weather. Pack layers just to be safe.
• Make sure the costume’s fabric is “flame resistant.”
• Consider non-toxic make up and wigs instead of masks. If you choose a mask, enlarge the eyeholes as masks can obstruct a child’s vision.
• Some costumes can be associated with unpleasant allergic reactions. Here are some more tips on that from a Mount Sinai dermatologist.

Tessa Scripps, MD

 Street Safety:

• Add reflective tape to costumes or use glow sticks or flashlights to help children see and be seen by drivers.
• Pay attention, be alert. Cross the street at corners and use traffic signals and crosswalks. Always walk on sidewalks or designated paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• If your child gets lost or is separated from the group, make sure they know their home phone number and address. If your child is too young or has special needs, consider writing your telephone number in a bracelet, sticker on the costume, or even with a marker on their arm.
• Sometimes it is helpful to choose a designated “meet up point” where your child can go if they get lost or separated from the group or from their adult.
• Explain to your child that they should never enter an unknown person’s home or vehicle while “trick or treating”.
• In case of an emergency, teach your child how to call 9-1-1.

Treats:

• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Throw away candy that has an unusual appearance or discoloration or is spoiled or unwrapped. Homemade items or baked goods should be discarded unless you know who made them.
• Remove all choking hazards like gum, nuts, or hard candies from younger children’s goodie bags.
• Eat candy in moderation and ensure your child brushes their teeth before bedtime.
• Instead of eating all of the collected candy, you can encourage your child to donate to “candy drives” run by local schools, churches, doctor, and dentist offices.
• Another option to reduce candy is through a game called “Switch Witch” or “Candy Fairy” where a special toy is left in exchange for a bag of candy placed outside your child’s door at the end of Halloween night.

 For Kids With Food Allergies:

• Be proactive and prepared when you have a child with food allergies, as most Halloween candies contain a variety of highly allergenic foods like nuts, soy, and dairy.
• You may want to sort candies and treats at the end of the night and replace the removed candies with treats you have purchased beforehand that you know are safe for your child to eat to avoid feelings of disappointment and exclusion.
• Reinforce which candies are safe for your child to eat before you go trick-or-treating and keep some allergen-free candy in your pocket, in case your child wants to have a treat while you are still out.
• Carry an EpiPen with you while trick-or-treating in case an accident happens.
• Become familiar with allergen-free candy brands, including “No-Whey” chocolate lollipops and sunflower buttercups, “Enjoy Life,” “Free2B,” “Yum Earth,” and “Annie’s Organic” fruit bunnies.
• Be on the lookout for houses that place a teal pumpkin sign on their doorstep—this sign indicates that they have a separate allergy-free container stocked with allergy-free treats or toys. You too can put a teal pumpkinsign on your home to identify your house as having allergen-free treats or goodies.