Children’s Health System and Alabama SAFE KIDS want your children to have a fun and safe Halloween. You can protect your trick-or-treaters this Halloween by following these tips:

Treats

– Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has carefully examined them for evidence of tampering.

– Children should go only to homes where the residents are known and have outside lights on as a sign of welcome.

Costumes

– When purchasing a costume, masks, beards and wigs, look for the label, &uot;Flame Resistant.&uot;

– To minimize the risk of contact with candles or other sources of ignition, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.

– For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights.

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Children should also carry flashlights.

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If a mask is used, make sure it fits securely and has eyeholes large enough to allow full vision.

Pedestrian Safety

– Young children should always be accompanied by an adult or an older, responsible child.

– All children should walk (not run) from house to house and use the sidewalk if available, rather than walk in the street. Children should be cautioned against running out from between parked cars or across lawns and yards where ornaments, furniture or clotheslines present dangers.

For more information on this and other children’s health and safety issues, please call Children’s Connection Line at 1.800.504.9768 or visit our website at www.helpyourchild.com.

Garland Stansell serves as chief communications officer for Children’s Hospital. He can be reached at mailto:garland.stansell@chsys.org