What a great time of year to be a child! Costumes, staying up late, being given lots of sweets. What’s not to love? However, as parents, we want to make sure our little ones are safe. Let’s scan the potential dangers and minimise the risk of harm to your child.
Slips, Trips and Falls
It could be cold, wet and dark on Halloween Night. This, combined with long, dangling costumes, could spell trouble. Ideally, you want children to try on their costume ahead of time so you have a chance to adjust it if needed.
Check:
- Are they wearing supportive shoes that fit well and with good grip?
- Does the costume fit well? Is there anything trailing that could make it tricky to walk or cause them to trip?
- Can they see out of the eyeholes?
Trying out costumes ahead of time can be helpful to identify any safety concerns
Road Safety
It can be very exciting for younger children being out after dark. Add this to the fact that they are about to get some sweets, listening may have gone out of the window.
Here are some tips:
- Many costumes are black. Carry an LED lantern, torch, glow bands or Halloween-themed string lights to make you more visible.
- Discuss the route ahead of time so that your children understand your plan.
- Avoid crossing the road more than necessary.
- Young children need to hold your hand.
Children are not always aware of danger.
Allergies
Allergies can make life miserable, but with a bit of thought, they can still be managed. Here are some tips:
- Supply neighbours or party hosts with allergen-free treats for your child so they can still join in the fun.
- Check with party hosts about potential allergens such as pets.
- Bring their reliever inhaler or auto-injector if they have been prescribed one.
- If latex is a problem, choose a mask made from another material.
Choking
Silent choking carries a serious risk, which could result in brain damage or death. Knowing what to do could save their life. Here are some tips around choking:
- Do not leave the room or turn your back on your child when they are eating. Serious choking can be silent.
- Never give your child food or sweets to eat in the car where you cannot easily see or reach them.
- Do not let them play with their food – especially throwing sweets up into the air and letting them land in their mouth. This could easily lodge in their windpipe.
- Children should not eat while moving about or playing.
Rainbow sweets – an alluring choking hazard.
What to do if your child is choking:
- If you think they are choking, ask them, “Are you choking?” If they can speak, they are not seriously choking. Encourage them to cough.
- If your child is silently choking, deliver up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades. Support the child as you do this and watch each time to see if the object comes out.
- If this doesn’t work, continue with 5 abdominal thrusts.
- You can continue this cycle of back blows and abdominal thrusts until you have dislodged the item.
- If your child loses consciousness, call 999 and tell them what has happened and that your child is unconscious. Put the phone onto speaker and perform CPR, starting with chest compressions.
- Continue to perform 30 chest compressions, followed by 2 rescue breaths until emergency help arrives.
This toddler investigated a black paint-crayon, turning his tongue and lips black. It can be challenging to keep very young children safe.
What to do if your baby is choking:
- If your child is under 1, you will need to follow guidelines for baby/infant choking and baby/infant CPR.
- If your baby is silently choking, lay them face down along your forearm and thigh, making sure you support their head and neck. Give five back blows between the shoulder blades.
- Turn the baby over and check their mouth, picking out any obvious obstructions.
- Give five chest thrusts with your baby facing upwards, making sure their head and neck are supported. Put two fingers in the centre if their chest and thrust, checking their mouth again each time.
- You can continue this cycle of back blows and chest thrusts until you have dislodged the item or your baby becomes unconscious.
- Call 999 and tell them what has happened and that your baby is unconscious. Put the phone onto speaker and perform CPR, starting with chest compressions.
- Continue to perform 30 chest compressions, followed by 2 rescue breaths until emergency help arrives.
We hope you find these Halloween Safety Tips useful. If you would like to learn more about keeping your little ones safe and what to do if they do get injured or become ill, why not book onto one of our first aid courses?
Visit our website for more information (www.whitecrosstraining.co.uk).