Maggie McKay (Host): Halloween is filled with excitement for kids like costumes, trick or treating trading candy. But what about their safety? Today, we'll talk about tips for a safe, scare-free Halloween with Jennifer Taylor, Manager of Injury Prevention and Safe Kids at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.

Welcome to the Peds Pod by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. I'm Maggie McKay. Good to have you here, Jennifer. I can't wait to hear your tips for a safe Halloween.

Jennifer Taylor: Thank you, Maggie, for having me. I'm so happy to be here.

Host: Absolutely. So, one of the most fun parts of Halloween is dressing up in a costume. Are there any safety concerns for different ages when choosing a costume and accessories for a child?

Jennifer Taylor: So yes, we know, like we said, Halloween is a time for spooky thrills and imagination. So, picking out a costume is a big deal for kids. And so, the first thing is when selecting a costume, you definitely want to make sure it's the right size in order to prevent any trips and falls, because we definitely don't want any injuries. And then second, you definitely want to choose face painting over mask when possible. Because you just never know, kids probably cannot see past that mask really good. So, face painting is a great recommendation for those families to choose that option.

Host: Right. I always remember my husband is saying, "No to that, no to that, no to that," because of the mask for our son, because those little holes for the eyes are unrealistic. And they're always shifting it and pulling it and it's dangerous. They can't see peripherally. And also, what about accessories? Because, you know, a lot of costumes have these little like flaps that go over the shoes if you're a duck, say, and they trip.

Jennifer Taylor: Yes. So, that's why I was sharing about making sure that everything fits right, like accessories, you know, things that hang, that can catch on things, you just mentioned the little flap. However, a parent can fix that to make sure that that child is safe. We don't want anyone to fall and trip at any time, because that can definitely cause a serious injury. So as parents, we definitely have to make sure that our kids are properly dressed for Halloween and for them to be walking safely.

Host: Right. Velcro and double-stick tape are two of your best friends during the Halloween costume season. That's what I found.

Jennifer Taylor: Yes.

Host: Also, there's this like tape for fabric, which works really well too, if you need to hem something a little shorter. Anyway, walking around after sunset, it's got to be important for kids to be visible as well for the drivers. So, what are some ways parents and caregivers can make kids more visible at night?

Jennifer Taylor: So, we recommend that kids could possibly carry glow sticks or flashlights that will really help them see at that time of the night. And then, parents could actually use reflective tape or even stickers that could go on the child's costumes or the bags that they might be carrying to collect the candy for trick or treating.

Host: Okay, Jennifer, I'm going to admit something so embarrassing. When my son was little, I was a little overprotective. I'll admit it. However, on one Halloween, I said, "Oh, here, put this sticker on the back of your head."

Jennifer Taylor: On the back of the head?

Host: I mean, it wasn't on his hair. It was on the costume. And he's "Come on mom." And he was so little. I'm like, "Okay, okay, okay," because I already had it on his back, the tape, but he didn't know it. So, I'm like, "All right." You got to stop at some point, but honestly...

Jennifer Taylor: But you were doing the right thing as a parent.

Host: Yeah, right. The tape like runners use is so great. What are the key tips to teach kids to protect themselves from cars when they're walking the streets to trick or treat?

Jennifer Taylor: Yes. So, we want to remind children to cross the street at corners or even crosswalks, using the traffic signals. And then, we always tell them, you know, you can look left, right, and left again as you're crossing the street because you need to see what's coming your way. So, just being very cautious at all times.

Host: Right. And I always hope there's at least one adult with every group of kids, at least young kids.

Jennifer Taylor: Yes, there always needs to be an adult, especially if you have children under the age of 12, that should be present with those kids, yes, for safety reasons.

Host: How can cars drive extra safely on Halloween night? Because drivers have a giant responsibility, if you ask me.

Jennifer Taylor: They really do. So, drivers should slow down, being in a residential neighborhood because you're going to have a lot of children walking in those areas trying to find candy and just having a good time. And we know that kids get very excited on Halloween and they may move unpredictable in ways, because they're so excited, right? And so, they're running across the streets, which they should not, but you never know. So, you'd rather be safe than sorry and drive really cautious that night. Another thing, Maggie, is that you want to eliminate distraction inside your car. So, you really want to concentrate on the road, not looking on your phone. You just want to make sure you see who is crossing the street.

Host: Good point. Because some people didn't get the memo about the reflective tape, and a lot of people they have the Black Witch or Darth Vader, and you don't see them. So, I always tell my teenager, "You can't even drive. You just take Uber on Halloween. I don't even want you to drive," because they're always on their phone. I hate to admit it, but you know they are. You see it in the street. And like you said, kids are fueled with sugar and they're excited and they can't wait to get home and trade it. So, they're like running across crisscross the streets.

So, are there any concerns about candy that kids might get on Halloween? What should parents and caregivers look out for? I remember when I was little they used to tell you to take your candy to the hospital and have it x-rayed. That's how old I am, okay, Jennifer. But I'm pretty sure you don't have to do that anymore.

Jennifer Taylor: I don't think we have to do that anymore, yes.

Host: That was so crazy. We didn't do it by the way, but my best friend did. What should we do as parents?

Jennifer Taylor: So, the best course of action is to inspect your child's Halloween bag or basket, and just as parents discard anything that looks really suspicious to them. And so, that's the best thing that you could possibly do for your child, is to look through that candy and basically be a detective.

Host: I hate to be a downer, but you know, when I see like homemade stuff, like candy apples or popcorn balls, I threw it out.

Jennifer Taylor: Yeah. You have to basically use your best judgment.

Host: Yeah. That homemade stuff is cute and a nice idea, but I don't think so.

Jennifer Taylor: Save it for the house and do it yourself.

Host: Save it for your Halloween party. What about older kids that want to trick or treat alone? How can parents and caregivers ensure that they have a fun but safe Halloween? That's so tricky when they get to that awkward age. They're too cool to trick or treat, but they still want to get a little candy, but they want to be with their friends and not a parent.

Jennifer Taylor: Yes. So, you definitely want to talk with your teens about distracted walking, because this includes text messaging, because we know a lot of them do have cell phones, talking on them, looking on their mobile devices, and paying attention when crossing the street as well. Even going so far as to plan the route that they're going on because some areas might not be as safe. So, you definitely want to tell them the right things to do before going trick or treating, and just kind of agree on a specific time when they should be back should be really good for them.

Host: And also if you happen to have one of those tracking apps like 360, you will know if they are on the right trajectory and you can send them a text and say, "Oh, why are you not on the path we agreed on?" My point is, if you have one of those, you can kind of check in just for your own peace of mind and say, "Okay, they're in the neighborhood. They're in the area. I know where they are."

Jennifer Taylor: Yes. That is another good option as well.

Host: Any other tips for a safe and fun Halloween, Jennifer?

Jennifer Taylor: Well, I'll just say, when you go to homes, make sure that the porch light is on at that home and that it's just basically well lit up because you don't want to go anywhere where it's very dark and you can't really see the surrounding areas.

Host: This is not really part of it, but what about people who have dogs? Sometimes they let them come to the door when the trick or treaters are there and come out. And I think that can kind of scare kids. What do you say to people who are answering the door with dogs?.

Jennifer Taylor: So, I'll say two things. For those who have dogs and they know that they might bite or somewhat vicious that they need to put them up, because you're going to have a lot of trick or treaters at the door and you don't want to be responsible for a child getting hurt. For those trick or treating, you have to be careful that way, because you don't really know the dog. And if anything, you should ask the owner if you can pet the dog and they will let you know if it's safe enough for them to touch.

Host: thinking back, most people, I don't think bring their dog to the door, but a lot do. And most of the dogs are friendly and old, so it's okay. But you're right to be cautious and just err on the side of safety. Thank you so much for these great ideas on keeping our kids safe during Halloween. I'm sure we will be using at least some of them and we really appreciate your time.

Jennifer Taylor: No problem. Thank you for having me, Maggie.

Host: That's Jennifer Taylor. To find out more, please visit lebonheur.org/podcast to listen to our full library of podcasts. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels. I'm Maggie McKay. Thanks for listening. This is the Peds Pod Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.