8 Things Every Parent Needs to Know About Trick-or-Treat
This time of year can be fun for families as kids dress up in their favorite costumes and walk through the neighborhood trick-or-treating.
However, every year health professionals staffing emergency rooms and poison centers from around the country deal with Halloween-related injuries.
Parents can do a lot to prevent their children from getting hurt by sticking to these eight tips provided by the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
1. Inspect all candy. Look for any signs of tampering such as tears, pinholes, or discoloration before allowing children to eat it.
2. Check candy for choking hazards. Children under age 4 should not eat anything that is smaller than one inch around, such as hard candy, gummy candy, popcorn, and gum balls.
3. Avoid homemade treats from strangers. Watch for treats that may contain marijuana or other drugs.
4. Test face makeup. Apply a small amount on the arm first to check for allergic reaction. Avoid putting any substance on any part of the skin that is not intended for the skin.
5. Give it the smell test. Throw out any makeup that has a very bad smell. This could be a sign of contamination.
6. Remind kids not to chew or break glow sticks. A liquid inside glow-in-the-dark products can cause skin irritation. Swallowing it can cause nausea and burning. Eyes are especially sensitive to glow stick liquid. Never put these products in the microwave.
7. Handle dry ice properly. Touching it to the skin or ingesting it can cause serious harm. Do not store dry ice in the freezer or an unventilated area.
8. Save Poison Control number. In case of emergency, call the national Poison Control at (800) 222-1222.
