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Originally Released: October, 1999
Patient / Consumer Inquiries: 1-800-492-5538
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KEEPING THE TREAT IN YOUR CHILD'S HALLOWEEN

Halloween is coming. While kids are thinking about their costumes and the piles of candy, parents need to think about the possible dangers their children could face during the frantic trick-or-treat festivities.

"Halloween can be scary in more ways than the traditional sense. For kids, Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights of the year because of the many injuries that occur," says Karen Hardingham, R.N., program coordinator for Baltimore SAFE KIDS Coalition and nurse at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children. "Most parents worry about candy tampering. They're not always aware that pedestrian injuries, burns, and falls account for the majority of the injuries on Halloween," adds Hardingham.

According to Hardingham, many of the risks children face can be avoided if parents follow a few simple safety tips and take time to talk to their children about safety before trick-or-treating. To help make Halloween safe for every child, the Baltimore SAFE KIDS Coalition at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children recommend that parents take the following precautions:

TRICK-OR-TREAT SAFETY TIPS

PREVENTING FALLS

Cumbersome costumes and masks can make walking safely through dark neighborhood streets difficult for children. The following tips can help prevent fall-related injuries:

PREVENTING PEDESTRIAN INJURIES

Darting out into the streets is one of the most common causes of pedestrian death among children. The Baltimore SAFE KIDS Coalition offers the following important tips for parents and for drivers out on the road Halloween night:

PREVENTING BURNS

Fires and burns are the third leading cause of injury related death among children. On Halloween, the Baltimore SAFE KIDS Coalition and University of Maryland Hospital for Children recommend the following safety precautions:

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This page was last updated on: March 20, 2009.