Tips to Celebrate Halloween Safely From The Scariest Place of All - The Emergency Department

Each year, 9.2 million babies, children, and teens are injured severely enough to need treatment in emergency departments all across America, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Nothing is scarier than a trip to the emergency room," said Mark Cichon, DO, chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Loyola University Health System. "In a season devoted to frights, it is our goal to keep everyone safe."

Here are Dr. Cichon's top tips to avoid going bump in the night and for a healthy, happy Halloween:
Invest in a pumpkin carving kit and avoid knives. "Manipulating a sharp knife in a rigid pumpkin rind without injury is almost impossible for an adult or child," said Dr. Cichon. "Proper tools make sure you carve the jack o' lantern and not yourself or a loved one."

Supervise anything that is burning, from scented candles to carved pumpkins to firepits. "Fires can happen in a flash and get quickly out of control," said Dr. Cichon. "The colder temperatures invite the warm glow of candles to the excitement of an end-of-season bonfire. Watch out for burning leaf piles."

Use extra precaution when climbing ladders to hang decorations inside and outside. "Falls from ladders are one of the top reasons adults come to the emergency room and they are largely avoidable," said Dr. Cichon. "Use the right-sized ladder, and one that is safe, and work with a partner to do the job right."

Make sure Halloween costumes offer visibility and ease of movement. "Masks, hats, wigs, glasses, hoods -- costumes often include headgear that can obstruct vision and lead to trips and falls," said Dr. Cichon. "And make sure it is easy to walk in the costume without tripping or catching on things."

Dress for the weather. "It is easy to get overheated or too cold in the Midwest at this time of year, without the addition of wearing a costume," said Dr. Cichon. "Check skin temperature and watch for signs such as shivering or lethargy. Don't forget to wear waterproof footgear that has treads for sure footing."

Have one adult in the trick-or-treating group wear a reflective safety vest and give each child a glow stick or flashlight to increase visibility. "You want to be able to see where you are going and also for others to see you, especially around moving vehicles," said Dr. Cichon. Stay in a group and put kids on the buddy system.

Avoid alcohol use when supervising children. "Don't drink and accompany your kids as they trick-or-treat," said Dr. Cichon. "If you choose, enjoy a beer or cocktail at the end of the night after kids are safely indoors, or better yet, in bed."

Avoid over-tiring children. "Fatigue can lower resistance, leading to illness and injury," said Dr. Cichon. Make sure a good night's sleep starts Halloween day and rest up before the night's activities. Eat healthy meals and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Maintain regular bedtimes.

Inspect treats when you get home. "Make sure candy and goodies are age-appropriate; avoid smaller pieces for younger children that could be a choking hazard," said Dr. Cichon.

Balance candy consumption with healthy foods. "When my four children were younger my wife and I would hide their candy and allow them each to choose two pieces after dinner to limit over-consumption," said Dr. Cichon.

Be aware of the potential for loud and scary noises. "Playful scaring antics by enthusiastic celebrants and even barking dogs can frighten children and cause them to react suddenly," said Dr. Cichon. "Falling down porch stairs, tripping over curbs and even colliding with others can result in harm."

Drive vehicles slowly and cautiously on Halloween, especially on sidestreets. "Watch for trick-or-treaters but also be aware of any flying eggs or other debris that could impede vision," said Dr. Cichon.

Since 1995, annual patient volumes in Loyola's emergency division have increased from 29,000 to 53,000 patients. The Loyola emergency medicine division is classified as a Level 1 Trauma Center, providing the highest level of surgical care to trauma patients. The division also has been recognized by groups such as The Joint Commission, the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, the American College of Surgeons for Trauma and the Illinois Department of Public Health for Trauma, Burns, Pediatric and Emergency departments.

Make Halloween a Dream Come True for Kids, Not a Horrible Nightmare

 For one night you get to be someone completely different, have a mission of collecting candy at every house you see and it’s ok to be scared. It’s no wonder Halloween has become one of the most exciting holidays for kids. But, without some safety reminders a child’s dream come true could turn into a parent’s worst nightmare.

“As parents, we hear the horrors of razor blades or poison in candy. Though it is important to check kids’ candy before they eat it, a really scary part about Halloween is pedestrian safety. Vehicle accidents are the number one cause of injury for kids on Halloween,” said Bridget Boyd, MD, pediatric safety expert and assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

To help make Halloween safer it’s important for parents to establish rules and communicate expectations with their kids, no matter the age.

“Communication is extremely important in making Halloween safe. Make sure your kids know where they can go, how long they can be gone and with whom they can spend time in advance. Go over it a few times in the days leading up to Halloween and to make sure they remember, tell them right before they head out the door,” said Boyd.

When trick-or-treating, she says, the best thing is for parents to go along. Still, for many kids this is their first foray into independence. A child should only be allowed to go alone if he or she:
• Can follow directions and understand a map so he or she won’t get lost
• Knows his or her neighbors and the neighborhood
• Knows how to call 911
• Knows his or her own phone number

“Kids in elementary school should still have a parent go along with them. Junior high is the age when you can begin to decide if the children are responsible enough to go alone, but having a parent is always a better idea,” said Boyd.

If a child does go alone she suggests the following rules:
• Always stay in a group
• Create a specific trick-or-treating route together beforehand and make sure your kids know not to stray from it
• Consider giving one of the children a cell phone in case of an emergency
• Stress pedestrian safety. Make sure they will use sidewalks and crosswalks

Though parents have heard it a million times it is important to check all candy. This means:

Don’t let kids eat candy while trick-or-treating. This will keep kids safe from eating candy whose package has been opened and tampered with. It will also limit the amount of sugar they eat. This is good advice for parents, too. If it’s too much temptation let them have one or two pieces, but make sure you inspect them first.

If in doubt, throw it out. Throw away any treat that is homemade by someone you don’t know, a choking hazard or not completely wrapped. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Make Halloween allergy-free. Another great reason to check candy is to ensure your child does not have an allergic reaction. Candy may not be well-marked so, again, if in doubt, throw it out. If your child has a nut allergy make sure hands are washed after trick-or-treating.

“Getting dressed up and pretending to an amazing character is a lot of fun. Parents need to make sure costumes are exciting, but safe. Many Halloween injuries are due to unsafe costumes,” said Boyd.

She suggests to help your child choose a costume that is a bright color or reflective.

“Unfortunately, many of the most popular costumes for Halloween are dark colors. If your child chooses a dark-colored costume make sure he or she wears some sort of reflector. Someone driving a car isn’t going to see that shadowy figure and it could turn tragic,” said Boyd.

She also suggests:
• Costumes need to be flame-resistant
• Use non-toxic make-up instead of masks since masks can obscure vision
• Try to stay away from capes and costumes that are too long. These can be a trip hazard or even catch on fire from candles in jack-o-lanterns
• Decorative contact lenses can cause serious eye infections. According to Boyd, purchasing contact lenses without a prescription is dangerous for your health and illegal
• Be careful with accessories. If you have young children make sure the necklaces, etc., are not a choking hazard and swords aren’t sharp

“Teens love Halloween as well, but it’s one of the most dangerous nights for driving. Try to convince them not to drive and consider holding a special Halloween event such as a scary movie night or haunted house at your house instead,” said Boyd. “Whatever you do make sure you know who they are with, where they are going, when they will be home and stay in contact throughout the night.”

Carving pumpkins is one of the highlights of Halloween, but kids and sharp knives are an accident waiting to happen. If you have young kids, Boyd suggests using markers, stickers or paint instead of carving to change your pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern. If you do carve the pumpkin make sure it’s done on a solid, flat surface and that there is always adult supervision to minimize the chance of injury.

“Candles and costumes are not a good combination. Look for battery-operated candles to use in the jack-o-lantern or if you do use a candle make sure it’s a votive. Place the pumpkin on a sturdy table away from small children,” said Boyd.

Boyd also says to check your house before the big night to ensure good lighting and that there is nothing for the goblins to trip on as they make their way to your door.

“Halloween is a lot of fun and it gives parents a great chance to talk to their kids about responsibility and safety,” said Boyd. “With all the candy and costumes it’s hard for kids to control their excitement. That’s where the parents come in.”

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Loyola University Health System (LUHS) is a member of Trinity Health. Based in the western suburbs of Chicago, LUHS is a quaternary care system with a 61-acre main medical center campus, the 36-acre Gottlieb Memorial Hospital campus and more than 30 primary and specialty care facilities in Cook, Will and DuPage counties. The medical center campus is conveniently located in Maywood, 13 miles west of the Chicago Loop and 8 miles east of Oak Brook, Ill. The heart of the medical center campus, Loyola University Hospital, is a 569-licensed-bed facility. It houses a Level 1 Trauma Center, a Burn Center and the Ronald McDonald® Children’s Hospital of Loyola University Medical Center. Also on campus are the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola Outpatient Center, Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine and Loyola Oral Health Center as well as the LUC Stritch School of Medicine, the LUC Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing and the Loyola Center for Fitness. Loyola's Gottlieb campus in Melrose Park includes the 264-licensed-bed community hospital, the Professional Office Building housing 150 private practice clinics, the Adult Day Care, the Gottlieb Center for Fitness, Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Care and the Loyola Cancer Care & Research at the Marjorie G. Weinberg Cancer Center at Melrose Park.