Health

10 Safety Tips for Halloween

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Kids love Halloween. The costumes, the parties, going trick-or-treating.

Moms and dads want their children to enjoy the yearly event. However, safety should also be a priority.

“In addition to helping plan for a fun holiday, parents must also take some precautions to make sure their children are safe on Halloween,” said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., child health medical officer for the County Health and Human Services Agency.

Here are some tips to help ensure children have a safe Halloween:

  1. Children should wear bright, age-appropriate costumes that are made of flame-retardant materials
  2. Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible
  3. Young children should be accompanied by an adult or older sibling
  4. Older children trick-or-treating without supervision should walk in groups and have a set time to return home
  5. Children and adults should put electronic devices down and keep heads up while walking, especially crossing streets
  6. Teach children to look both ways when crossing streets, to use crosswalks and to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
  7. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
  8. Children should not enter homes of people they do not know
  9. Throw away anything that looks tampered with or is unwrapped
  10. Do not eat homemade treats, unless you know the person who made them

“Parents should inspect all candy and goodies before their children eat them,” Sidelinger concluded.

José A. Álvarez is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact