Halloween Safety for Kids: Candy, Button Batteries and When to Call a Specialist

Halloween is one of the best nights of the year for Alaska kids. Costumes go on over snow gear, flashlights bob down dark streets, and pillowcases fill up fast. These Halloween safety tips for kids will help keep the fun going all the way to bedtime.

Halloween Candy Safety Tips for Little Ones

Most treats are safe, but a few deserve a second look. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping hard candy, gum, nuts, popcorn and gummies away from children until about age four, because these foods are common choking hazards.

Before anyone digs in, sort the haul together at the kitchen table. Toss anything unwrapped, torn or homemade by someone you don't know. Watch for packages that look like candy but have unusual or misspelled labels. If your child has food allergies, check every label and look for teal pumpkins, which signal houses offering non-food treats.

The Hidden Halloween Hazard: Button Batteries

What to Do If Your Child Swallows a Button Battery

Act right away, even if your child seems fine.



• Go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.
• Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 800-498-8666 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
• Do not make your child vomit.
  

When to Call a Specialist

Many swallowed objects pass on their own with a simple X-ray and a watchful eye from your pediatrician. A button battery is different. If one is stuck in the esophagus, it needs to come out quickly.

That's where our team at Alaska Pediatric Specialties comes in. Our teams treat button battery ingestion as an emergency and often remove batteries using minimally invasive tools.

Keep Halloween Happy and Safe

Check that battery compartments on costumes and toys are screwed shut, collect spare batteries before bedtime, and recycle used ones safely.

To learn more or schedule an appointment, call (907) 929-7337 or visit alaskapeds.com. Have a safe and happy Halloween!