Halloween preparations should include more than costumes and candy. The Nebraska Poison Center is reminding families to watch for potential hazards involving glow sticks, face paint, party supplies and treats left within reach of children or pets.
Jen Rohda, the center’s education coordinator and a certified specialist in poison information, told KLIN News that prevention starts with checking what children can access, particularly when hosting a Halloween gathering. Medications, alcohol, cannabis products and nicotine products should be secured out of children’s reach.
Rohda said cannabis edibles can resemble familiar candies and snacks, creating a risk when children encounter them at home or during parties. She emphasized that those exposures typically do not involve products placed in trick-or-treat bags.
Adults should inspect children’s candy before they eat it. Items outside their original wrappers should be discarded, along with homemade treats from people the family does not know and trust.
Glow sticks are another common reason for calls to the poison center. Children may chew on the soft plastic or break them while playing, potentially exposing their mouths or eyes to the liquid inside. “This can cause burning or a stinging sensation if that liquid that gets into the mouth or into the eyes,” Rohda told KLIN News.
If an exposure occurs, Rohda said families should rinse the affected area with water and call the poison center. For eye exposures, she recommended rinsing with lukewarm tap water for about 10 minutes and avoiding rubbing the eyes or using drops or ointments.
Costume choices also deserve attention. Rohda recommended warm, well-fitting costumes, a flashlight and masks that allow children to see clearly. Masks should be lifted or removed when crossing streets.
Families choosing face paint should use products specifically made for that purpose, Rohda told KLIN News. “We don’t want to use just any kind of paint that you have around the house because those can be very, very irritating to the skin.”
Makeup, face paint and hair sprays should be washed off before bedtime. Non-toxic face paint can also provide an alternative to a mask that restricts a child’s vision.
Rohda cautioned against putting small pieces of dry ice directly into individual drinking glasses. Swallowing solid dry ice or allowing it to contact the skin or mouth can cause frostbite and other freezing injuries.
Pet owners should keep Halloween treats secured as well. Rohda warned about chocolate and xylitol, a sweetener found in some sugar-free candies and gums. Anyone concerned about a pet exposure should contact their veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian first, she said.
For a possible poisoning involving a child, Rohda urged families to call immediately rather than wait for symptoms. The center can help determine whether an exposure is dangerous and explain what signs to watch for.
Help is available around the clock, Rohda told KLIN News. “We’re available 24 hours a day. We are all registered nurses, nurse practitioners, or pharmacists that answer the phone. So we’re all specially trained in toxicology.”
Callers should have the product or medication container available and be ready to explain when the exposure happened, how much may have been involved, how the person is doing and anything already done in response. A child’s weight may also help specialists assess the exposure.
The Nebraska Poison Center can be reached at 1-800-222-1222. Rohda encouraged families to save the number in their phones so it is readily available when needed.