How to stay safe during this Halloween season?

DORAL, FL – Halloween season is here once again. This weekend and until October 31st, cities and neighborhoods around Miami-Dade and Broward will be filled with adults and children parties, family events, trick-or-treating activities, live music, food, lots of sugar, scary venues, and limitless fun.

But while this season brings together friends and family, it is also a time when people should take additional safety measures to ensure they have a pleasant and yet safe holiday.

Here are some tips of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Going trick-or-treating this Halloween season?

According to CDC, children should always do trick-or-treating in group with other children or trusted responsible adults. 

It should also be ideal to carry swords, knives, and other costume accessories that are short, soft, flexible, and sharp-less. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.

Regarding face make-up, always test it in a small area first, especially if it is intended for children. Make sure you and your children go to bed without it to avoid possible skin and eye irritation.

Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses. While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as “one size fits all,” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” obtaining decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal.

This can cause pain, inflammation, and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.

Also wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips and falls. Make sure dresses for girls or capes are short and not interfering with walking.

Consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes.

If you are an adult driving in a Halloween costume, fasten reflective tape to costume and bags to help other drivers see you.

While trick-or-treating this Halloween season prefer using flashlights with fresh batteries to help you see and others see you. Avoid running from house to house and instead walk.

Also, look both ways before crossing the street. Use crosswalks and sidewalks wherever and whenever possible or walk on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe. Never cross between parked cars or out driveways.

Stay in a group and communicate where you are going to others, carry a cell phone for quick communication and remain on well-lit streets.

Also, be careful with motorists who may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn’t mean others will! Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

When walking outside, be aware of lit candles or luminaries. If you see them, don’t walk near them and make sure you have flame-resistant costumes. When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.

Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses, and never accept rides from strangers.

To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.

In addition to this, they should also check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs, and restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.

After finishing trick-or-treating, examine all treats that your children bring home for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount you and your children eat.

A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.

Eat only factory-wrapped treats, which means avoiding eating homemade treats made by strangers.