If your family is trick-or-treating or adding some spooky decorations to the house, it’s important to keep safety front of mind.<\/p>\n
Pediatric and orthodontic experts from University of Rochester Medicine suggest following these tips to make sure your child has a fun\u2014not frightening\u2014time:<\/p>\n
Being struck by a car is the greatest risk for trick-or-treaters. As well as reminding your child about traffic safety, pediatrician Elizabeth Murray<\/a>\u00a0encourages parents to incorporate glow sticks and reflective material into costumes.<\/p>\n
“Remember that sparkly or shiny doesn’t necessarily mean reflective,” she emphasizes.<\/p>\n
If your trick-or-treater has a disability, consider an adaptive costume, which is specially designed to accommodate the needs of people with physical, sensory, or developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n
These costumes use features like Velcro fastenings, openings for medical devices, and designs that fit over wheelchairs to make the outfit functional and comfortable for trick-or-treaters with mobility aids, sensory sensitivities, or medical equipment.<\/p>\n
Halloween can be difficult for children with sensory sensitivities. Lisa Latten<\/a> explains, “There are lots of noises and flashing lights that can be overwhelming and difficult to process.”<\/p>\n
If your trick-or-treater has braces or a permanent retainer, Dimitrios Michelogiannakis<\/a> and Nadia Abou Kheir<\/a> suggest skipping candies like:<\/p>\n
“These candies can damage the braces and set your orthodontic treatment back,” says Michelogiannakis.<\/p>\n
Instead, the American Association of Orthodontists suggests softer candies<\/a> that melt in your mouth, like:<\/p>\n
If your child does get something stuck in their braces, try washing it out with water, brushing, and flossing. If a bracket comes loose, call your orthodontist to make an appointment.<\/p>\n
Source: University of Rochester<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"