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Health & Fitness

What's Going Around? - Take the "Trick" Out of Trick-or-Treat

Ghosts and goblins everywhere are preparing for a scary night of fun! But make sure those trick-or-treaters take a few precautions to stay safe this Halloween.

As Halloween approaches, ghosts and goblins everywhere are preparing for a scary night of fun. Halloween can be a delightfully frightful time for the entire family, but it is also a time to focus on safety. A few precautions will help keep your little princesses, pirates, zombies and witches safe this year.

Tips for a safe Halloween:

  • Wear bright clothing or reflective gear. Attach reflective tape to children’s costumes so they are easier for drivers to see.
  • Have an adult accompany younger trick-or-treaters (12 and under). For little kids, attach a piece of paper with your child’s name, address and an adult’s phone number inside the pocket of their costume in case they get separated.
  • Encourage older children to trick-or-treat with a group of friends, an older sibling, or an adult. Don’t allow them to trick-or-treat in an unfamiliar neighborhood, and set a time for everyone to return home. If possible, make sure these older children have a cell phone for the night.
  • Stick to a pre-determined neighborhood route that everyone in your group knows well, don’t deviate from it, and carry a flashlight. Know the route that your children will be taking.
  • Review road safety rules before the little monsters go outside. Make sure they use crosswalks when available, walk only on sidewalks, and do not run from house to house.
  • Don’t let children snack on candy while trick-or-treating, and inspect everything when you get home. Discard anything that isn’t sealed, is torn, or looks questionable.
  • Dress for the forecast. Temperatures can drop quickly on a clear autumn night. Make sure that your trick-or-treater stays warm with an extra layer of clothes under the costume.

For your piece of mind and your child’s safety

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To help you have a safe Halloween, Patient First will provide free safety blinkers at each of our medical centers during the month of October (one per person, while supplies last). Stop by any of our medical centers and inquire at the front desk or ask your nurse if you are visiting us for medical care.

Patient First will also provide free X-Rays of Halloween candy on October 31stfrom 6pm-9pm at all of our neighborhood medical centers. X-Rays may help detect items in food and candy such as metal, plastic and glass so that you and your family can celebrate safely.

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