Morning Medical Update: Replacing Fear with Facts – Staying Safe This Halloween

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Jill Chadwick

News Director

Office: (913) 588-5013

Cell: (913) 223-3974

Email

jchadwick@kumc.edu

Dr. Michael Lewis, division director, General Pediatrics and In Patient Pediatrics, The University of Kansas Health System

  • According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for children being hit by cars.
  • Trick-or-treat costumes should not have masks that impede vision or long pants, dresses or accessories that can be tripping hazards.
  • Parents who take their kids trick-or-treating and follow along in cars need to pay attention to the road and not film their kids on their phone while driving.
  • For “trunk-or-treat” events, be aware of idling cars and carbon monoxide if kids are standing near tailpipes or navigating a parking lot with kids running between cars.
  • Go with sealed candy and not homemade bags. Parents need to be extra vigilant with kids with food allergies.
  • Kids who encounter a scary situation may have disruptions in sleep for days afterward in the form of nightmares or difficulty going to sleep.

Elizabeth Silver, Pharm.D., managing director, Kansas Poison Center, The University of Kansas Health System

  • Glow sticks are great for visibility but ensure that young children are not biting them because ingesting the gel has resulting in several calls to the Poison Control Center.
  • When it comes to Halloween make-up, please use approved make-up. We have gotten calls from people who use face paint not intended for use on the skin.
  • Medications are still at the top of the list in terms of calls to the Poison Control Center.
  • It is important to keep those medications locked away, including those that look like candy. Keep edibles locked away as well.
  • Be careful using dry ice, it can be very dangerous if touched or ingested.
  • With Halloween parties, keep alcohol away from children.

Dr. Stephen Lassen, Ph.D., child and adolescent psychologist, The University of Kansas Health System

  • Kids around age four and younger have a hard time distinguishing between reality and fantasy.
  • Showing them that costumes are fake in advance can help them during Halloween activities.
  • When kids are dressed up as something else can take on that persona, so make sure they know how to behave properly. For example, a kid dressed as a zombie should be careful about scaring or attacking other young kids.
  • Anxiety is an experience of fear and anticipation, so pay close attention to kids at a higher risk of anxiety during this time.

Dr. Dusan Stanojevic, interventional cardiologist, The University of Kansas Health System

  • Can you literally be scared to death? Scary situations can impact your heart.
  • Studies have found those in scary or high-risk situations, those people have a blunted adrenaline response.
  • But if you get scared from something that is not anticipated, adrenaline can affect your heart dramatically.
  • However, it would be unusual to have a heart attack due to a scary situation.