Top Reasons for ER Visits on Halloween
Halloween is one of the busiest holidays for emergency room staff. The following are some statistics concerning ER Visits on Halloween according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):
- There are approximately 4500 Halloween-related injuries every year
- 41% of those injuries are from pumpkin carving activities
- 32% were due to falls
- 5% were due to allergic reactions
The scary statistics don’t end there. This year some 41 million kids across the country will go trick-or-treating. With so many children on the streets on Halloween, many could end up getting hurt. The risk of injury increases when we consider that:
- 63% of children don’t carry flashlights while they are out trick-or-treating
- 70% of parents don’t accompany their children while they trick-or-treat
- 1 in 13 children have a severe food allergy
- 82% of parents don’t use visibility aids such as reflective tape on their kid’s costumes
- 12% of children under the age of 6 are allowed to go trick-or-treating unaccompanied by an adult
- 65% of parents fail to discuss Halloween safety with their kids
- 86% of adults bring alcohol to Halloween parties
- 52% of Halloween traffic accidents involve alcohol
Preventing ER Visits on Halloween
Halloween is a festivity based on fear, but those scary statistics should not be a deterrent for you and your family to have fun this Halloween.
Luckily, most accidents are preventable. Here is how you can help make this Halloween a safe holiday for all.
Prevent Burns
Remember kids will be wearing elaborate and often long or flowy costumes that can be flammable. So avoid using real candles in your decorations. Opt for battery-operated candles, glow sticks, or flashlights to illuminate your spooky jack-o-lanterns.
Talk to Your Children About Safety
Communication is a great way to help prevent ER Visits on Halloween. Whenever possible make sure your kids are accompanied by an adult when they go trick-or-treating. Even older children need supervision. Try organizing the parents to supervise the kids as they go trick-or-treating down the neighborhood.
Teach your kids how to cross the streets properly. Instruct them to use crosswalks when possible and to look both ways before stepping onto the street.
Everyone should walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, then make sure your kids know to walk on the far edge of the road facing traffic.
Become Visible
Ensure your children’s costumes include some form of visibility aid. It could be a cleverly placed reflective tape or glow-in-the-dark accessories. This will help drivers spot children from a face distance.
Give your kids flashlights so they can illuminate where they are walking, this will help prevent them from tripping or falling. However, make sure you teach them not to point the flashlights directly at incoming traffic, as this can blind drivers and cause an accident.
Choose Safe Neighborhoods
Map out the neighborhoods you will be visiting in advance. When possible, avoid crossing busy streets, and try to stay in well-lit areas, avoid dark alleys, parking lots, or wooded areas.
Don’t Drink and Drive
Adults are not exempt from ER Visits on Halloween. There will be no shortage of Halloween parties in Plano this year. If you plan on drinking that night, make sure you are not behind the wheel. Choose a designated driver before going to the party, or use a taxi ordering app such as Uber or Lift.
At Prestige ER we want everyone to have a fun-filled Halloween night. As much as we enjoy spending time with the members of our community, this Halloween season we hope you skip trick-or-treating at our ER. However, if you need us, rest assured we will be here, ready to take care of you and your loved ones.
HealthCare.gov recommends that in case of an emergency, you head straight to the closest ER.
You DO NOT need to get prior approval from your health insurance company.
They will cover expenses barring whatever your deductible and coinsurance/copayments are for emergency treatments.
Prestige ER is open and ready to care for you during an emergency in which your health is significantly jeopardized 24/7, we work with all major insurance companies and our Patient Advocate team is available to help you understand your coverage and rights. We will guide and fight for you every step of the way. For more information regarding your rights as a patient, view our Insurance Information.
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