Halloween should be a night filled only with treats. Yet every year, kids are injured&mdash;sometimes seriously&mdash;because they're too excited to watch out for cars, masks block their sight, or a knife slips when they're carving pumpkins. 

To keep the trick-or-treaters in your family safe this Halloween, follow these tips from the <a href="http://www.netreturns.biz/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=ortho" target="_blank">American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons</a>, the <a href="http://www.netreturns.biz/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=aap" target="_blank">American Academy of Pediatrics</a> and <a href="http://www.netreturns.biz/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=safekids" target="_blank">Safe Kids Worldwide</a>: 

Make costumes safe. For example, to make kids more visible at night, have them wear light-colored costumes, and decorate both costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers. 

Also see that kids: 
<ul>
 <li> Dress up with nontoxic face paint and makeup instead of masks. Wearing a mask could block your child's vision. </li>
 <li> Wear costumes, wigs and accessories that are clearly labeled as flame-resistant. </li>
 <li> Don't carry a sword or stick that is sharp and potentially dangerous.</li>
 <li> Never wear nonprescription, decorative contact lenses, which can cause serious eye infections and permanent vision loss.</li>
</ul>

Set ground rules for trick-or-treating. Any child younger than 12 needs to be accompanied by an adult when trick-or-treating, particularly when crossing streets. Older kids need to tell parents precisely where in the neighborhood they'll be knocking on doors. They also need to agree on a specific time to show up back at home and to carry a cellphone for emergencies. 

In addition, all kids should be reminded to: 
<ul>
 <li> Always use sidewalks when they're available. When sidewalks aren't available, kids should walk on the far edge of the street, facing traffic.</li>
 <li> Never cross between parked cars, use alleys or cut across yards.</li>
 <li> Only go to homes with a porch light on, and never enter a home or car for a treat.</li>
 <li> Always carry a flashlight with fresh batteries.</li>
 <li> Throw away any candy that is unwrapped or has a wrapper that is torn.</li>
</ul>

Take care with pumpkins. Don't let small children carve pumpkins. Let them draw a face with a marker, and then carve the pumpkin yourself. 

Some other pumpkin safety tips: 
<ul>
 <li> If older kids carve pumpkins, have them use a pumpkin carving kit or a knife specifically designed for carving. </li>
 <li> Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light pumpkins.</li>
 <li> Always place candle-lit pumpkins on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects. </li>
</ul>

Keep your home safe

Even if you don't have trick-or-treaters in your family, if you're handing out candy you should follow these precautions: 
<ul>
 <li> Keep anything a child could trip on&mdash;such as a bike or garden hose&mdash;away from your yard or porch.</li>
 <li> Remove wet leaves from sidewalks and steps.</li>
 <li> Restrain pets so they don't bite trick-or-treaters.</li>
</ul>
Reviewed 8/7/2023

Keep kids safe this Halloween

What you can do to help trick-or-treaters avoid injury.