No spells will be cast on young spooks this Halloween with a few sensible tips from the Nebraska Regional Poison Center. Take the following preventive measures to keep children safe this Halloween:
- Sponsor a block party as an alternative to wide-range trick-or-treating. Parties at home can substitute for, or at least shorten, trick-or-treat trips.
- Give out non-edible treats such as stickers, pencils, erasers, barrettes, magnets or other party favors.
- When children trick-or-treat, treats should be carefully inspected by adults. Homemade treats or anything out of its original wrapper should be discarded unless parents are positive of the identity of the person from which it came.
- Providing children with a full meal before trick-or-treating will reduce the temptation for children to eat treats before they return home.
- Make sure children are accompanied by an adult and take a flashlight along if it is dark. All children should stay in their own neighborhood and only go in homes of friends and family.
- Costumes should be warm, well fitting and non-flammable. Masks should provide adequate vision and should be removed
while children are crossing streets. Use inexpensive, nontoxic face paint as an alternative to masks. Consider using reflective tape on costumes worn after dark. - Serving punch containing dry ice is not considered dangerous as long as the ice is not swallowed in its solid form. Dry ice can injure tissues in the throat.
The Nebraska Regional Poison Center offers tips on Halloween safety and poison prevention as a free community service. For more information, contact the Nebraska Regional Poison Center by calling (402) 955-5555 in the Omaha metropolitan area or toll-free at 1-800-222-1222.
The Nebraska Regional Poison Center is sponsored by UNMC; its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center; and Creighton University Medical Center.