LEAWOOD, Kan. — Despite the cold weather, many families with little ones will be braving the conditions to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night.
As thousands plan to hit the streets, experts and Kansas City-area parents are sharing tips on staying ahead of trouble.
Children’s Mercy Hospital says children come into the emergency room on Halloween night for four big reasons: falls, burns from flammable costumes, vehicle collisions and eye injuries.
Amanda Besler, a mother in Leawood who has three young children, says safety has taken on a whole new meaning since being a parent.
With children who two, five and seven, trick-or-treating is still very much a whole family affair.
“There could be the stranger danger, too, if you’re sending your kids off and you’re not with them,” Besler said. “I know a lot of friends lately have been putting those air tags on kids if there’s big crowds.”
And of course, parents cannot forget to check the candies. At the Besler’s, a fun family tradition has also become an extra line of defense.
“Just out of tradition, we like pour ‘em out and sort candy and figure out what we like and don’t like, and trade with our siblings," Besler said. "And that makes it easy to then inspect and look."
Experts at CMH says children younger than 12 should always be with an adult. It is best two travel in groups and walk in well-lit areas using sidewalks. To cross the street, always do so from street corners using paved walkways. Lastly, use reflective tape on clothing or bring a flashlight to help drivers see.
“We do glow sticks and so she loves wearing like the little glow stick bracelets or the one around her neck,” said Kieri Olmstead, another mother.
Olmstead also goes the extra mile and checks sex offender registry websites as well.
“Just make sure that like there's no houses we should avoid,” Olmstead said.
As a professional therapist, who has a seven-year-old daughter, she says parents should get on their children’s level when talking to them about safety.
“Trust your instincts, be loud as you can be if you don’t feel okay, be around people you know, stay in a group.” Olmstead said. “Stay with the friends that we go with, make sure that you’re, you know, paying attention to cars if they’re coming and if it’s dark, don’t knock, go to the next.”
Adrienne Szilvasy, who has a younger sister, says community surveillance is also important.
“It’s good to speak up if you see something that is kind of suspicious,” Szilvasy said.
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