Millions of little ghosts and goblins are getting ready to go trick-or-treating, but before they hit the road, there are some things you may want to keep in mind.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year.
We asked Dr. Amber Teague, a pediatric ER doctor at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital, what some of the most common emergencies are they treat on Halloween night.
“There’s a combination of things that we see. Normally, the night of Halloween, there’s a lot of accidents. So, pedestrians versus actual motor vehicles, or bicycles versus motor vehicles, where the driver or the kid got distracted and collided with each other and they can result in minor to very serious, life-threatening injuries,” Dr. Teague said. “Another thing that we see a lot of is kids will fall off the sidewalk or the ledge, fall down the steps, trip and fall and hit their head on something and to have that head evaluation after that injury is a really common thing.”
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What about all the treats they receive on Halloween?
“Make sure the candy that your child is going to consume is a pre-packaged, manufactured candy. This is not the time to be trying the neighbor’s snack that they’ve hand-bagged, this is this is not the time to allow your kid to eat or enjoy any candy that’s not still properly packaged,” Dr. Teague said. “I understand the parent tax, and I think a lot of parents still participate in that tax — where they take a piece or two of the candy that they love the most — but it is important to look through the candy to make sure that it’s still safe. And while you’re on that note, to make sure if you’ve got tiny little ones, then any choking hazards that were gifts or treats for Halloween are also removed, so there’s not that potential.”
Some tips: Use a flashlight or wear reflective clothing or tape, stay on sidewalks or paths, beware of tripping hazards including costumes that are too long or face masks which can make it tough to see — instead, opt for face paint versus a face mask.
Above all, just keep a close eye on your kids as they go door-to-door.
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