Making Your Child's Costume Safer for Halloween
Every fall, thousands of children across the country are rushed to the emergency room because of a Halloween costume mishap. What was supposed to be an entertaining evening out getting candy turns into a long night waiting for the results of an X-ray. However, Halloween can be both safe and fun. Parents and children need only implement a few simple guidelines to ensure that Halloween is filled with more treats than tricks.
Make sure your child can see through his or her mask or makeup.
Many children end up at the hospital on Halloween night simply because they couldn’t see where they were going while walking. Halloween already necessitates that children navigate their way through busy sidewalks filled with other children and holiday decorations. If they cannot properly see where their feet are talking them, they are likely to trip, which may result in a split lip, broken bone, or concussion.
Test out your child’s costume to confirm that he or she can walk without obstruction.
Some children may be able to see from behind their mask or makeup just fine, but their Halloween costume restricts their walking ability. If children cannot freely walk in their costume, they are susceptible to losing their balance and falling. When they are attempting to walk in a confining outfit as other neighborhood children jostle around them, their chances of getting injured increases.
Invest in fire-resistant clothing and accessories.
With the many candles burning in the jack-o-lanterns and other festivities that may be using fire on Halloween night, it is important that your child’s costume—including any accessories—is fire resistant. A long, flowing cape or other loose costume accessory can all too easily catch fire. Fire-resistant clothing will make sure that an accident requires no more than a quick trip home for a change of clothes.
In the event that your child suffers a Halloween-related injury, Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center can help. Our emergency room staff is fully equipped to handle all injuries, including broken bones, concussions, burns, and lacerations. Please call our Consult-A-Nurse healthcare referral line today at (877) 888-5746 for more information.
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