Tag: Halloween

Trick or Treat

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

With many adults and older children vaccinated against COVID-19, this Halloween is back to being scary in all the right ways. Still, as COVID-19 continues to spread, celebrating safely remains a priority. There are many households with young children that are not yet eligible for the vaccine, or friends and family that are immunocompromised, and for them it’s important to keep Halloween traditions safe. We pulled together recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics to ensure this year’s celebration is all treats, no tricks.

Giving Out Candy

  • Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters and give treats outdoors, if possible.
  • Set up a table with individually bagged treats for kids to take.
  • Wash hands or use hand sanitizer before handling treats, and in between trick-or-treaters.
  • Non-food items can be a nice change from the usual candy, too. Especially for kids that suffer from food allergies.

Trick-or-Treating

  • Stick with outdoor trick-or-treating when possible and stay in small groups.
  • Avoid large groups of kids huddled around a doorstep. Stand back and wait for your turn.
  • Wear a mask
    • Make the mask as part of the costume (think nurse or surgeon, superhero, ninja)
    • A costume mask is not a substitute for a mask with several layers of breathable fabric or a disposable surgical mask that fits over the mouth and nose snuggly.  
    • Do NOT wear a costume mask over a cloth mask. It can make breathing more difficult
    • Masks should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing
  • Wash your hands
    • Bring hand sanitizer with you and use it after touching objects or other people
    • Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
      • Parents: supervise young children using hand sanitizer
    • Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you get home and before you eat any treats

Indoor Activities

  • If you or your children do attend an indoor activity, be sure to mask up and keep a social distance. There will be a mix of vaccinated adults and teens as well as unvaccinated attendees and wearing a mask will reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 or other seasonal viruses.

If you decide not to take your kids trick or treating this year, here are some ideas how you can enjoy Halloween safely.

  • Decorate and carve pumpkins
    • Decorate your home for Halloween.
    • Carve pumpkins with members of your household or outside with neighbors or friends.
    • Walk from house to house, admiring Halloween decorations at a distance.
  • Visit an orchard, forest, or corn maze. Attend a scavenger hunt.
    • Go on an outdoor Halloween-themed scavenger hunt.
    • Visit a pumpkin patch or orchard. Remember to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently, especially after touching frequently touched surfaces, pumpkins, or apples.
    • Go to a one-way, walk-through haunted forest or corn maze.
  • Other Ideas
    • Hide Halloween treats in and around your house. Hold a Halloween treat hunt (think like an Easter Egg hunt) in the house and yard. Try turning off the lights and hunting with flashlights!
    • Hold an outdoor costume parade or contest so everyone can show off their costumes.
    • Host an outdoor Halloween movie night with friends or neighbors or an indoor movie night with your household members.

If you have any concerns around upcoming holiday gatherings or general questions about your child’s health, contact your pediatric provider. They can help.

IHA Pediatrics

For more helpful information about kids and Halloween, check out these articles from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Trick-or-Treat

COVID-19 means a more frightful Halloween

By Martha Walsh, MD, MHSA, FACOG

Halloween and everything that surrounds it – trick-or-treating, costume parades, bobbing for apples – are fun, but can spread COVID-19 or other seasonal infections, like influenza. While celebrating Halloween this year will look very different from every other year, there are still ways to enjoy all that Halloween has to offer, while protecting yourself and your family from picking up a virus.

Giving Out Candy

  • Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters
  • Give out treats outdoors, if possible
  • Set up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take
  • Wash hands or use hand sanitizer before handling treats, and in between trick-or-treaters
  • Wear a cloth mask

Trick-or-Treating

  • Wear a mask
    • Make your cloth mask part of your costume
    • A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask
    • Do NOT wear a costume mask over a cloth mask. It can make breathing more difficult
    • Masks should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing
  • Wash your hands
    • Bring hand sanitizer with you and use it after touching objects or other people
    • Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
    • Parents: supervise young children using hand sanitizer
    • Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you get home and before you eat any treats
  • Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you
    • Indoors and outdoors, you are more likely to get or spread COVID-19 when you are in close contact with others for a long time

Make sure you are always doing the following. Every. Single. Day.

  • Wear a mask
  • Stay 6 feet away from anyone that does not live with you – indoors and outdoors
  • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently

If you decide not to take your kids trick or treating this year, here are some ideas how you can enjoy Halloween safely.

  • Decorate and carve pumpkins
    • Decorate your home for Halloween.
    • Carve pumpkins with members of your household or outside with neighbors or friends.
    • Walk from house to house, admiring Halloween decorations at a distance.
  • Visit an orchard, forest, or corn maze. Attend a scavenger hunt.
    • Go on an outdoor Halloween-themed scavenger hunt.
    • Visit a pumpkin patch or orchard. Remember to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently, especially after touching frequently touched surfaces, pumpkins, or apples.
    • Go to a one-way, walk-through haunted forest or corn maze.
  • Other Ideas
    • Hide Halloween treats in and around your house. Hold a Halloween treat hunt with household members.
    • Hold a socially distanced outdoor costume parade or contest so everyone can show off their costumes.
    • Host a socially distanced outdoor Halloween movie night with friends or neighbors or an indoor movie night with your household members.

Flu Before Boo!

Protect yourself and your family during flu season by getting your flu vaccine before Halloween. Scheduling your flu shot is easy! Click below and choose an appointment time that works for you.

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Source: Centers for Disease Control

Halloween Safety

Starting November 1st every year, most children begin their countdown to the next Halloween. And why wouldn’t they? Costumes! Candy! Late bedtimes! While there’s so much fun to be had, there are also safety concerns. Read on for safety reminders to ensure your Halloween night is delightful, not frightful.

  • Trick-or-treat in groups or individually with a trusted adult.
  • Be sure drivers can see you walking or crossing the street, Wear glow sticks or add some reflective tape to the costume.
  • Bring a flashlight along, so you can see where you’re going and avoid falling.
  • Walk. Don’t run.
  • Look both ways when crossing the street and use crosswalks when possible.
  • If you’re driving, go slow and keep your eyes open for trick-or-treaters.
  • An adult should look over the candy haul before anyone digs in. Factory wrapped treats are the safest. Homemade treats from strangers are not safe. Pay close attention to any ingredients that may trigger an allergic reaction.
  • Approach well-lit homes only, and never enter a stranger’s home.
  • Do not accept a ride from stranger. Ever.
  • If heading out in a group, plan the route ahead of time, and share it with a trusted adult.
  • Pumpkins are hard to carve, even for adults. Use a knife with a rounded tip and be sure a grown-up does the carving or oversees the activity.  
  • Use caution if candles are part of your décor. Look for fire-resistant costumes and place open flames in a safe spot (away from little hands, claws, paws…) Battery operated, or LED candles are the safest choice.
  • Accessories can make or break the costume. Be sure they are short, soft and flexible.
  • If makeup or face paint is part of you or your child’s costume, test it on a small part of your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin, before applying it on Halloween night.

If you’re faced with a Halloween boo boo or illness, don’t go batty. IHA Urgent Care locations are open late and are ready to treat you and your pumpkins.

Wait in line at home, click below to save your spot in an IHA Urgent Care close to you.

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