Three Tips to Stay Safe & Healthy This Halloween

Halloween is a day many look forward to every year. Before you and your loved ones head out for a night of spooktacular fun – dressing up in costumes, going door to door for candy, and attending parties – there are things to consider. Everyone in your family must plan ahead to make this Halloween a safe and healthy experience, with no tricks, just treats!

It is essential to keep in mind health and safety as we kick off the fall holiday season with Halloween. Research from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System has shown Halloween was in the top five holidays for most ER visits. Unfortunately, accidents happen all the time. However, there are some ways to avoid common occurrences.

Here are some tips to ensure you have an enjoyable Halloween.

Three Tips to Stay Safe & Healthy This Halloween

1. Ensure All Treats Are Safe

All candy and treats collected while out trick or treating or from a party should be inspected before eating. Inspection from a responsible adult helps decrease the risk of eating something tampered with and minimizes the risk of choking.

Things to remember:

• Throw out all candy that’s not in the original wrapper or has been unwrapped, torn, soiled, or is in suspicious packaging
• Separate edible treats from non-edible items
• Always read labels to avoid a food allergy catastrophe

2. Take Health Precautions

Halloween can be a fun time where celebration and excitement can overshadow the caution around general health precautions.

It is important to:

• Stay at home if you are sick to protect yourself and others
• Wash your hands frequently
• Try to ration out treats over the following week and not indulge all in one night
• Be cautious about what children put in their mouths, like glow sticks that carry toxic amounts of luminescent liquid

3. Follow The Safe Trick or Treat Trail

Most of the Halloween fun occurs after dark, so preparing and staying alert is critical.

To avoid the most common accidents on Halloween night:

• Only go to homes with porch lights on
• Never enter a home or car for treats
• Stay in a group and communicate with a responsible adult
• Remain in a well-light street and always use the sidewalk

24/7 Allergic Reaction Care 

Halloween can be tricky for those with food allergies, especially children. According to the CDC, six of the top eight most common allergens are found in the most popular Halloween goodies, leaving those who suffer from food allergies at high risk for a reaction.

If you or a loved one are suffering from an allergic reaction, or any medical emergency, your go-to neighborhood emergency room, NW Indiana ER & Hospital, is here to provide 24/7/365 care. It’s crucial to act quickly when you are experiencing an allergic reaction. Our expert team of physicians are highly trained to get our patients feeling back healthy quicker with the best care.

All of us at NW Indiana ER & Hospital wish you a safe and spooktacular Halloween!

Disclaimer: As a service to our readers, NW Indiana ER & Hospital and Nutex Health state no content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.