Halloween is here so we thought we would share some tips regarding treats, tricks and things that go bump in the night. These tips have been collected from the FDA Website and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

TIPS FOR PARENTS ABOUT TREATS

• Children shouldn’t snack while they’re out trick-or-treating. They should wait until they get home and parents have had a chance to inspect the goodies. To help prevent children from munching, give them a snack or light meal before they go–don’t send them out on an empty stomach.
• Tell children not to accept–and, especially, not to eat–anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.
• When children bring their treats home, discard any home-made candy or baked goods. Parents of young children should also remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.
• Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.
• If juice or cider is served to children at Halloween parties, make sure it is pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy harmful bacteria. Juice or cider that has not been treated will say so on the label.

Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has carefully examined them for evidence of tampering.

TIPS ABOUT MAKEUP

Decorating your face with face paint or other makeup lets you see better than you can if you’re wearing a mask. A mask can make it hard to see where you’re going and watch out for cars. But make sure your painted-on designs don’t cause problems of their own.

• Follow all directions carefully.
• Don’t decorate your face with things that aren’t intended for your skin. Like soap, some things are OK on your skin, but not in your eyes. Some face paint or other makeup may say on the label that it is not for use near the eyes. Believe this, even if the label has a picture of people wearing it near their eyes. Be careful to keep makeup from getting into your eyes.
• Even products intended for use near your eyes can sometimes irritate your skin if you use too much.
• If you’re decorating your skin with something you’ve never used before, you might try a dab of it on your arm for a couple of days to check for an allergic reaction BEFORE you put it on your face. This is an especially smart thing to do if you tend to have allergies.

Think about what you’re putting on your face. You might not want to put the same coloring on your skin that a car company uses in its paint.

Look at the label on the makeup itself. The FDA provides a list of all approved ingredients for cosmetics. If the ingredient is not on the list, don’t use it. Even if it is on the list, check to make sure that it is safe to use near your eyes. If it doesn’t hav e the FDA’s approval for use near your eyes, be sure and keep it away from them.

Don’t go to bed with your makeup on. Wearing it too long might irritate your skin, and bits of makeup can flake off or smear and get into your eyes, not to mention mess up your pillow and annoy your parents.

For more information on facial makeup and cosmetics, read the entire article here.

TIPS ON COSTUMES

Flame Resistant Costumes: When purchasing a costume, masks, beards, and wigs, look for the label Flame Resistant. Although this label does not mean these items won’t catch fire, it does indicate the items will resist burning and should extinguish quickly once removed from the ignition source. To minimize the risk of contact with candles or other sources of ignition, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.

Costume Designs: Purchase or make costumes that are light and bright enough to be clearly visible to motorists.

• For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights. Bags or sacks should also be light colored or decorated with reflective tape. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle, and sporting goods stores.
• To easily see and be seen, children should also carry flashlights.
  Costumes should be short enough to prevent children from tripping and falling.
  Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes . Mother’ s high heels are not a good idea for safe walking.
• Hats and scarfs should be tied securely to prevent them from slipping over children’s eyes.
• Apply a natural mask of cosmetics rather than have a child wear a loose-fitting mask that might restrict breathing or obscure vision. If a mask is used, however, make sure it fits securely and has eyeholes large enough to allow full vision.
• Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be of soft and flexible material.

The FDA has issued a warning regarding Decorative Contact Lenses. These contact lenses, sometimes called Plano or non-corrective lenses, do not correct vision and are intended solely to change the appearance of the eye, but carry serious risks, including permanent eye injury that may lead to blindness. We strongly recommend you read this article before ever considering using these decorative contacts.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING SAFE HOUSES

Children should go only to homes where the residents are known and have outside lights on as a sign of welcome.

Children should not enter homes or apartments unless they are accompanied by an adult.

People expecting trick-or-treaters should remove anything that could be an obstacle from lawns, steps and porches.

Candlelit jack-o’-lanterns should be kept away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.

Indoor jack-o’-lanterns should be kept away from curtains, decorations, and other furnishings that could be ignited.

Thank you for reading, and we hope that you all have a spectacular Halloween! Stay safe, and let’s not forget that there are a great deal of children out there on the roads this evening so lets take extra care, particularly when driving!

KSIB.NET Administration