Trick or Treat Safely – and Charitably!
It’s nearly time for Halloween so we thought we’d take this opportunity to share some safety tips from the Safety Store at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel to ensure a happy, healthy holiday (sugar overload not withstanding!): 1. Help children choose fire retardant costumes that can be seen in the dark. Add reflective tape or strips to costumes and treat bags. 2. Wear shoes that fit properly (even if they don’t “go” with the costume) to avoid trips and falls. 3. Rather than wearing a mask, which may restrict a child’s vision, paint their face instead. (If a child wears a mask, make sure it does not interfere with their breathing or hearing and be sure the eyeholes are wide enough that it does not interfere with their eyesight.) 4. Carry a flash light or glow stick to increase visibility to drivers. 5. Trick or treat in groups, adults should accompany children as escorts to doors and carefully inspect all treats collected prior to children eating it. 6. Talk to your children about walking safety, including the following: . – When crossing the street, cross at a corner using traffic signals and crosswalks. . – Always walk, never run out into the street or cross between two cars. . – Look left, then right, and left again when crossing the street. . – Make eye contact with drivers; make sure the driver sees you before you cross the street. And to make the holiday happier for children everyone, consider having your trick or treaters bring a little orange UNICEF box with them to collect donations for the world’s neediest kids, too. This year, UNICEF is also introducing a “Party for a Purpose” program, with great ideas for hosting a FUNdraising fete of your own. Get details at unicefusa.org/trickortreat . Last but not least, if you’d like to avoid the ongoing sugar craze in the days following Halloween, encourage your kids to participate in a Candy Exchange like the one at World of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry (11790 SW Barnes Rd., Suite 280). Dr. Michelle Stafford welcomes kids -– patients or not! -– to turn in their unopened Halloween loot for fun prizes on weekdays from Nov. 1-7. (The more you bring in, the more you earn!) For details visit visitworldofsmiles.com or call 503-626-9700.
Originally posted here:
Trick or Treat Safely – and Charitably!
