According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween is a multi-billion dollar tradition with close to 3 billion dollars spent on costumes, $2.08 billion on candies, $360 million on greeting cards, and Halloween is second only to Christmas with $1.96 billion spent on festive decorations.
If this staggering stat is any indication, I’d say, Halloween is a mighty popular tradition. But for those with asthma or allergies, this popular holiday can be dangerous, even deadly. And I should know — my kids have allergies with mild asthma and we’ve always had to take these extra precautions during Halloween:
Here are 6 ways to prevent an asthma attack on Halloween:
- Treats – What’s Halloween without treats?!? But many treats can be dangerous to those with allergies. If your child has severe allergies or asthma, consider throwing an allergy-free Halloween party at your house.
- Costumes – Be mindful of plastic parts or paints that come with new costumes. They may contain toxic chemicals that can off gas and trigger an allergic reaction or an asthma attack. If you are using an old costume that was in storage, be careful of dust, dust mites, and molds. Thoroughly clean costumes before using. Then store them in air-tight, sealable containers for reuse.
- Masks – Because masks are worn close to the face, they can trap allergy or asthma triggering chemicals close to the nose and mouths. This increases the chance of an attack. In addition, a full mask can make breathing harder and hot to wear. Consider having your child not wear a mask…or wear a half mask to make breathing easier.
- Makeup – Halloween makeup often is made up of chemicals and dyes that may irritate lungs and skin. Look for hypoallergenic non-toxic.
- Decorations – Avoid plastic decorations as much as possible. Use what you have at home already to make front porch decorations, {eco}-friendly ghosts, reusable Jack – Lanterns, and glass jar luminaries (great for illuminating walkways for trick or treaters.) Avoid paraffin wax candles. Some children are allergic to soy, so even soy candles can be harmful. Use LED reusable candles instead.
- Trick or Treating – You advise your children NOT to enter the homes of strangers while trick or treating for safety reasons. Another reason children should not enter homes is that there may be pets, smokes, dust, or other irritants in the house that may trigger trigger asthma or an allergic reaction.
Halloween is a fun holiday, but don’t overlook the obvious and let your trick or treater suffer. Make sure your kids leave home with proper medicine — asthma inhaler or an epipen. If your child has a medical alert bracelet or a tag, Halloween is a perfect time for your little one to wear it.
How do you make Halloween safe for your child?