11/01/2007
A Few Simple Steps to Keep Halloween Safe
Halloween is no fun if the night includes a trip to the emergency room. The physicians of Jersey City Medical Center / Wilzig Hospital urge parents to take a few steps to make “trick or treating” safe and enjoyable.
“Most Halloween injuries can be easily prevented,” said Dr. Neal Shipley, acting chief medical officer of Jersey City Medical Center. “The most common injuries are to the eyes from sharp objects, like swords and wands, or burns from flammable costumes. And children walking through the neighborhood are at great risk of being hit by a car if they do not follow simple traffic rules.”
Dr. Shipley strongly urges adults to follow these guidelines from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) for a safe and fun Halloween:
- Examine all candy BEFORE your child eats it. Throw away candy not in its original wrapper, as well as all fruit.
- Obey all traffic signals. Keep children on the sidewalk and out of the street as much as possible.
- Stay in a group. At least one adult should escort young children during candy gathering, and forbid children from accepting rides from strangers and visiting unfamiliar homes.
- Ban baggy costumes, long hems, high heels and over-sized shoes. They are an invitation for a child to trip and fall.
- Avoid costume contact lenses, which can impair vision.
- Avoid masks. If your child must wear one, make sure it is well ventilated and does not impair his or her vision.
- Only wear costume fabric, wigs and beards of flame-resistant fabrics, like nylon or polyester.
- Wear bright colors and add reflective tape to the costume so your child is more visible to drivers.
- Check that costume accessories such as swords, knives, wands and other pointed objects are made from flexible materials and have dull edges.
