Halloween safety: From checking candy to putting out teal pumpkins, here's what to know

WASHINGTON (WJLA) — All set with a Halloween costume yet? With trick-or-treaters getting ready to celebrate the spooky festivities again, WJLA is sharing a warning from doctors.

First, this is the time of year when a lot more people suffer from food allergies -- including a severe reaction after consuming candy with ingredients they’re allergic to.

Dr. Christina Brown is a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente. She said always look over the candy and closely check the ingredient list.

You want to make sure you’re checking candy, talking to your child beforehand about not eating it while you’re trick or treating so you can come back, inspect everything,” urged Dr. Brown. “Pretzel M&Ms can have peanut in them. You have to look at the fine print.

One way parents can avoid food allergies is to look out for teal pumpkins. Seeing a sign or teal pumpkin on a doorstep means the home is participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project.

The goal is to raise food allergy awareness and offer non-food trinkets or toys in a separate bowl to make Halloween safer and more inclusive for trick-or-treaters. Homes participating in the project also register their location through an interactive map online.

The neighborhood app Next Door also brought back its treat map this year where people can post if they’ll be offering candy. Simply plop a pumpkin on the map of your part of town – if it is on the app – and include a photo if of the treats you may have available.

Additionally, experts say parents of children with food allergies should carry an EpiPen with them while trick or treating.

“A lot of things are made in a factory that also produces candy with peanuts or tree nuts, but some of them lately can have peanuts in them,” said Dr. Brown.

Avoid any candies that can have any cross contamination, avoid candies that were made in someone’s home. So, homemade treats or anything that doesn’t have a label, those are high risk things.

Some other safety tips include making sure trick-or-treaters are wearing something comfortable so they can walk without issue. If it’s dragging on the floor, they could fall or hurt themselves. Also, make sure their costume is visible. If it’s dark, bring a flashlight or glowsticks or stick on reflective tape. The rate of pedestrian accidents goes up on Halloween, so make sure drivers can see the kids and the kids are looking both ways.

Finally, doctors say to watch out for high sugar consumption. Having a nutritious, filling dinner beforehand with a good amount of protein can help prevent overeating.

“You can also kind of ration how much they’re allowed to have on Halloween. Let them pick and choose, you know, their top priorities. They can have just for that night and then keep the rest of it out of reach,” said DR. Brown. “Extra candy can be donated, extra candy can be added so you can add some M&Ms into some trail mix and make that a healthier snack. So you can also choose a date with any candy not eaten by Thanksgiving where you know we’re going to toss or let it expire.”