10 Halloween Costume Safety Tips

Whether your children will be going trick-or-treating or attending a Halloween party, a few precautions can help make their experience safe and enjoyable.

The pediatric trauma and emergency medicine specialists at Beaumont Children’s wish you and your family a safe and happy Halloween!

Donna Bucciarelli, RN, trauma injury prevention coordinator, Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, said, “With Halloween approaching, now is a good time to talk to your kids about their safety, especially costume safety. By taking precautions, parents can increase the likelihood their trick-or-treater will have an enjoyable Halloween.”

10 costume safety tips

• Purchase or make costumes that are bright, reflective and can be seen in low light conditions. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes
• Most commercial costumes are flame resistant, check the label on your child’s costume to ensure it’s made of flame-retardant material
• Make sure that if a costume has a prop like a knife or pitchfork that it’s soft and flexible. This will ensure if the treat-or-treater falls or trips they will not be injured by sharp or hard edges
• Test all face paint and costume make-up to make sure your child doesn’t develop a rash or adverse skin reaction
• Make sure your child’s costume doesn’t impede their ability to walk- shoes should fit properly and the length of the costume should allow your child to move freely
• Be careful of sharp edges on masks and make sure it fits your child properly
• Tell your child to remove their mask when walking from house to house for better vision
• Don’t allow trick-or-treaters to change their eye color with nonprescription cosmetic contact lenses. This may not only impede vision, but can result in an eye infection and/or damage to the eyes
• Make yourself and your trick-or-treaters visible- use reflective treat bags; bring flashlights with new batteries; or use “glow sticks”
• Older children should wear a watch and carry a cell phone

Bucciarelli added, “Beaumont is committed to helping patients manage their family’s health. Education and awareness are key to accident and trauma prevention.”