Mahaska Health Partnership Encourages Halloween Safety

Halloween Costume Safety

Halloween Costume Safety

MAHASKA COUNTY – Halloween is a fun holiday for children to dress up, visit their neighbors and enjoy friends and family. Mahaska Health Partnership offers tips on how to make the most of Halloween while keeping your kids and trick-or-treaters safe.

Halloween gets more exciting as children grow. Trick-or-treating in fun costumes is a lot of fun for both kids and the houses they visit. “For costumes, it’s always best to make sure accessories like swords are soft and flexible in case of a fall,” MHP Family Practice Physician with Obstetrics Dr. Leigh Gilburn shared. “Costumes should also fit properly, including masks and shoes, to avoid tripping in the dark.”

Kids should not trick-or-treat alone. “Make sure if you are not able to go out with your children to send them with a group who is supervised by an adult,” Dr. Gilburn suggested. “It’s easy for kids to wander and get lost or visit an area that is unsafe during the excitement, so supervision is a good way to keep everyone safe.”
Dr. Gilburn also suggested adding reflective tape to costumes or goodie bags. “Teaching children how to safely cross the road and to stay on sidewalks is a valuable lesson. However, children are also impulsive and with the excitement of trick-or-treating it’s easy to forget those lessons.”

When it comes to treats, inspection prior to consumption is highly recommended. “Make sure to check your child’s candy for tampering, allergens and choking hazards before eating,” Dr. Gilburn urged. “Only eat homemade treats from trusted individuals, and make sure to monitor consumption to avoid overeating.”

If giving out treats, Dr. Gilburn suggests some healthier alternatives. “Kids will get many sweets and candy during trick-or-treating, so stickers, temporary tattoos or other fun small gifts are great options instead of food. If you want to hand out snacks, sugar free gum, raisins, apple slices, Goldfish crackers or cereal bars are healthier options.

“Halloween can be a fun celebration with friends and family as long as you keep safety in mind. Watch for traffic and stay away from unfamiliar areas. Make sure to enjoy the night and have a ghoul time!”

Mahaska Health Partnership, located in Oskaloosa, is a non-profit health system accredited by the Joint Commission. It is guided by its mission to provide exceptional customer service and health improvement, linking the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care. For more information about how Mahaska Health Partnership is making healthcare personal, look us up on the web: mahaskahealth.org.

Posted by on Oct 27 2014. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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