Tips for Having a Ghostly Good Time this Halloween

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CLEVELAND - Halloween may not be until the end of the month, but many parents are already on the hunt for their child’s costume.

And whether it’s cute, scary or funny, Gina Robinson, MD, pediatrician for Cleveland Clinic Children’s said it should also be safe.

“I would recommend thinking about how your child is going to move in the costume, if it has a lot of hanging parts, things that could be tripped over. Is there a mask? Is that something that could cover their eyes, and also thinking about the weather,” said Dr. Robinson.

Dr. Robinson said some costumes are made of thin material, so if it’s cold or rainy where you live, your child may need extra layers.

It’s not just the temperature that cools off during this time of year, the sun starts to set earlier too.

So be sure to keep that in mind if your little one’s costume is darker in color.

It could be harder to see – especially while crossing the street.

Dr. Robinson suggests finding a way to make their costume more visible.

You could add reflective tape or have them carry a flashlight.

As for older kids, you may want to think twice about letting them buy any of those Halloween-themed contact lenses.

Every year, there are reports of eye injuries and infections.

“One thing that you always want to be careful with when you're putting something in your eye is the risk of injuring your cornea, scratching your cornea, causing an irritation,” said Dr. Robinson said. “So when we're looking at things that we buy for a costume, there are lots of different levels of quality and safety checking.”

Another tip to consider is using face paint instead of a mask for your child’s costume.

Then they don’t have to worry about the mask blocking their vision or becoming hot and uncomfortable.