Editor note: We have a wide range of pediatric experts at UHealth. The first story focuses on tips to stay safe while traveling on your trick or treat adventures. Keep reading for more information on your child’s costumes, lighting and — of course, candy consumption. Happy Halloween!

It’s finally the time of year where costumes, candy, and creepy decorations are everywhere. For many kids, Halloween is one of the best nights of the year – getting to dress up as their favorite character, go trick-or-treating with friends, and eat some of their favorite sweets. While spooky season is an exciting time for everyone, what’s really spooky is that children are more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween night than any other day of the year.

Luckily, there are ways to make sure that you and your kids stay safe this Halloween: 

Tips to prevent motor-vehicle injuries if you’re walking:

• If children are out after dark, add reflective tape to their costumes and bags, and give them glow sticks or flashlights to make them more visible.
• Use crosswalks and look both ways before crossing the street.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths.
• Travel in familiar and well-lit areas.
• A responsible adult should always accompany younger children.
• Make sure your child’s costume is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Choose non-toxic Halloween makeup over masks when possible. Masks can limit children’s vision.
• If your older children are going alone, plan a route together that is acceptable to you. 

Tips to prevent motor-vehicle injuries if you’re driving:

• Keep your phone away while driving, a single distraction could end in a tragedy.
• Slow down and be extra alert when driving in residential areas.
• Pull out and into driveways slowly and cautiously.
• Make sure your headlights are on.

Tips to prevent motor-vehicle injuries if using a golf cart:

It is important to know that golf carts are not designed for the safe transportation of children.  For those that choose to transport children in golf carts, keep the following in mind:   

• Florida law now requires that children have a learner’s permit or driver’s license to operate a golf cart on public roads. 
• If you or your child does drive a golf cart, make sure that all passengers know how to use the safety features that the cart has including lap seatbelts and handgrip bars.
• Children should sit with their backs pressed up against the seat and ensure the hip restraint is snug in their lap.
• Riders should place both feet on the floor and hold on to the handgrips nearest to them to prevent a fall or ejection from the cart, especially during turns or when riding on slopes or uneven ground.

Additional tips for overall Halloween safety:

• Make sure all costume materials are fire-resistant.
• If buying Halloween makeup, test it in a small area on the arm or back first for irritation.
• Ask kids to wait to eat any candy until they’re home, just in case of any allergies.

Practicing these recommendations is the best approach to protect your child during Halloween. For more information about Halloween Safety, visit www.healthychildren.org.  You can also contact the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, a program of the Children’s Trust, at 305-243-9080 or online at www.injuryfreemiami.org. 

Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Written by Laila Elias, M.D./M.P.H. candidate
with Julie Belkowitz, M.D., M.P.H., Lyse Deus, and Oneith Cadiz, M.D.

Reflective Strips and a Good Meal Before Trick or Treating?

Halloween is be big fun for kids and adults alike. But for some parents, the holiday can lead to some unwanted anxiety. Dark streets, dark costumes, strangers’ houses, loads and loads of sugary candy — it’s not exactly ideal for parents who want their kids to make safe and healthy choices.

Luckily, it’s easy to keep the fun on Halloween with just a few simple strategies.

“Stick to safe, well-lit areas for trick-or-treating, and have your kids wear reflective wear like neon necklaces or carry flashlights,” says Sujata Tipnis, M.D., M.P.H., a pediatrician with the University of Miami Health System. “Darker-colored costumes are harder to see after dark, but they are often the ones kids like. Add something reflective to a dark costume, and have your child carry a flashlight.”

Also, think about your kids’ costumes, including their masks and accessories, says Dr. Tipnis. “Instead of masks that might obstruct vision, you can use non-toxic makeup as an alternative. Test new makeup ahead of time on a small patch of skin to make sure it does not cause an allergic reaction,” she says. “Also, avoid costumes with sharp objects or accessories that may cause injury if the child falls or bumps into someone else.”

For younger kiddos, you can help enhance their safety by accompanying them on their trick-or-treating adventure. As your kids get older, make sure they stay in safe, well-lit areas, use crosswalks in groups and carry something shiny or reflective as they venture out on their own.

For safety at your own house, Dr. Tipnis recommends setting up a clear, well-lit path for trick-or-treaters. She also suggests using glow sticks or battery-operated candles to illuminate pumpkins instead of traditional candles to prevent any potential fire hazards.

What about candy?

How do you stop kids from gorging on sugary, unhealthy candy? The American Heart Association has some practical tips.

Try having a healthy, balanced meal before heading out for trick or treating. This can help tamp down your kids’ appetites and prevent overeating later in the evening.

Other solid steps include bringing a smaller candy bag and only taking one item from each house. Suddenly, your trick-or-treat expedition is more about exercise and walking all around the neighborhood rather than collecting as much candy as possible.

If you don’t like having all that candy to give out to kids in your own house, the YMCA has some “treat” ideas that kids still enjoy that aren’t food at all. Some suggestions on their list include stickers, glow sticks, bouncy balls, small toys, plastic jewelry and other fun items that aren’t laden with unnecessary calories.

After the Trick-or-Treating ends

Dr. Tipnis suggests having your kids wait until they get home to open and eat any candy. That way, you can go through it with them and ensure that it’s all safe and hasn’t been tampered with.

“Be wary of any cannabis edibles. These can look like regular candy and could get mixed up with Halloween candy,” she says. “Check treats and toss anything that looks spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious.” For younger kids, remove any items that may be potential choking hazards, such as hard candy.

It may be unrealistic for you and your family to cut out candy entirely. After all, that’s part of the tradition and the fun. A better approach is to create healthy attitudes about food in general, so that the candy at Halloween does not become a point of obsession.

If you need to limit your kids’ candy consumption so that Halloween night doesn’t end with sick stomachs, having open communication with your kids and setting reasonable ground rules can be helpful. “Try to ration treats on Halloween and for the following weeks,” Dr. Tipnis says. “You may want to put some candy away where it is less accessible to reduce temptation. Set realistic rules, and plan this together with your children if needed.”

Wyatt Myers is a contributor for UHealth’s news service.

Tags: Dr. Julie Belkowitz, Dr. Lyse Deus, Dr. Oneith Cadiz, Dr. Sujata Tipnis, halloween, healthy children, pediatric care in Miami