Halloween should be spooky, not unsafe!

Oct. 24, 2024

By Mary Wade Burnside

According to the internet, some of the most popular Halloween costumes we can expect to see out and about this year include Spider-Man, Anxiety from “Inside Out 2,” Shrunken Head Bob from the “Beetlejuice” movies and pop star Sabrina Carpenter.
These all sound like great ideas, but in whatever way these looks are put together, the No. 1 rule to keep in mind is safety.
After all, Halloween should be spooky, not unsafe.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, costumes should be flame resistant and have bright and reflective features, either built-in or by adding strips of tape. Hats and other elements shouldn’t obscure a child’s view and if make-up is involved, test it in advance by putting a small amount on the child’s arm.
And wearing decorative contact lenses can cause eye injuries, so definitely avoid those!
Costumes are just one element of staying secure this Halloween. Other considerations include pedestrian safety and avoiding any loot that could be dangerous.
That means watching both ways before crossing the street (and driving slowly during trick-or-treat hours), and also inspecting the goodies in the bright lights of home before they are consumed.
One way to avoid both scenarios is to attend a Trunk-or-Treat event. And coincidentally, Monongalia County Health Department has organized one this year. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, a group of staffers will be dressed up (in safe costumes, of course) to hand out candy to our attendees. All are invited to join the party outside our main building at 453 Van Voorhis Road in Morgantown.
Of course, because we are the health department, we’re also going to advocate for ways to make the eating experience better for children.
One way is to have a nutritious snack before going trick-(or trunk)-or-treating. Obviously, hunger is going to make those fun-sized candy bars and small bags of Skittles an appealing method to power through the difficult activity of knocking on doors or going from car to car, holding out a bag or plastic pumpkin.
Going back to the CDC for more healthy candy tips:
Parents who have children with nut or other food allergies are accustomed to reading product labels, but it never hurts to put out a reminder. Also, for those throwing parties or taking treats to a class, consider what ingredients to use. Maybe don’t include peanuts or peanut butter. Jason Nguyen, a nutritionist with MCHD Women, Infants and Children’s (WIC) program, also suggests looking into the Teal Pumpkin Project (foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/awareness-campaigns/living-teal/teal-pumpkin-project). Teal plastic pumpkins containing non-food items are placed on a porch or doorstep or used to pass out fun little prizes.
For very young children, make sure to keep choking hazards such as gum, hard candy and small toys from the approved Halloween pile.
Finally, as Monongalia County Health Department is also home to MCHD Dentistry, of course we’re going to remind everyone that sweets are good in moderation and that there are ways to consume sugar to make it safer for your teeth. According to the American Dental Association:
Eating sugary snacks during or right afterward a meal helps mitigate the effects of sugar on your teeth.
Avoid sticky and sour candy as well as gummies that stay in your mouth (and on your teeth) for a long time. Also, sour candies are high in dietary acids that attack the hard, protective coating on the enamel of your teeth.
This is an instance in which, comparatively, chocolate is good for you, especially dark chocolate, which contains less cavity-causing sugar.
Chew sugar-free gum with the ADA seal.
We hope everyone enjoys Halloween. And feel free to drop by Monongalia County Health Department’s Trunk-or-Treat, starting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29. Who knows, you just might get a new toothbrush from MCHD Dentistry to add to your holiday stockpile!
Email Mary Wade Burnside at MaryWade.Burnside@wv.gov.