Keeping Children Safe During Haloween

Though a good scare is often looked for on Halloween, avoid one when it comes to child safety.

 

As parents across the country dress up their children in their favorite superhero or princess outfits, they usually are thinking about how much fun the little tykes will have, the candy they’ll have to sift through, and the common dangers they’ll need to help them avoid.

A few simple tips can go a long way to keep your child safe this holiday.

 

Costume Safety

The National Retail Federation expects to see a record $9.1 billion in Halloween spending this year.

“According to the survey, consumers plan to spend $3.4 billion on costumes (purchased by 69 percent of Halloween shoppers), $2.7 billion on candy (95 percent), another $2.7 billion on decorations (72 percent) and $410 million on greeting cards (37 percent),” the federation said.

In that same survey, 47 percent of consumers expected to buy via discount stores and 38 percent expected to buy from a Halloween store or costume store. However, purchasing costumes should be done carefully. It’s more important to be safe than for the costume to look just right.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been more than 16 cases where children under 15 years of age sustained burn injuries involving Halloween costumes since 1980, including one fatality. In 1997, a 12-year-old girl in Texas died from burn injuries she sustained when her homemade Halloween costume ignited after she brushed up against a jack-o-lantern.

“In eight of the incidents, the source of the flame was a candle or jack-o-lantern. In three incidents, the children were burned by part of a costume (a battery-powered mask, a flashlight and a citronella torch). In the other five incidents, the source of the fire is unknown,” as reported by ABC News.

 

Check Before You Buy

When sourcing that killer costume, look for the label that says “Flame Resistant.”  This can include fabrics such as nylon and polyester. Also, if the costume includes a mask, be sure that kids can see well out it and that the costume fits correctly.

“That draped ghost costume looks cute, but it can cause a nasty spill. To guard against trips and falls, costumes should fit well and not drag on the ground,” cautioned CBS News.

Additionally, many organizations suggest trimming costumes in reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights and to have children carry a flashlight.

“Flashlights don’t always go with the costume, but they’re essential if children are to see and be seen in the dark,” CBS News reported.

 

Safety While Trick-or-Treating

In addition to being seen, it’s important that kids and parents remember that there are a lot of people out at night this time of year and that not everyone thinks about safety.

“November 1st is a busy day for insurance adjusters given that more vandalism claims are filed on Halloween than any other day of the year,” said Christopher Hackett with Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

“The fun of Halloween also brings more risk of auto and homeowner claims.”

The American Automobile Association (AAA) says that the risk for injury is highest on Halloween when you combine data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studies. They say Halloween is one of the top three days for pedestrian injuries and fatalities, and that a child is four times more likely to be struck by a vehicle than any other day of the year.

“Because excited trick-or-treaters often forget about safety, motorists and parents must be even more alert,” AAA advised.

 

Candy Safety

“Razor blades in apples are more myth than reality. Still, it’s a good idea to warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has examined them carefully for evidence of tampering,” reports CBS News.

“Little kids are quick to put things in their mouth, so it’s best to carefully examine any toys or novelty items received by trick-or-treaters under three years of age. Do not allow young children to have any items that are small enough to present a choking hazard – or that have small parts that could separate during use and present a choking hazard.”

 

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