Halloween health and safety tips from Dr. Nandi

(WXYZ) — Halloween is here, and kids will soon be happily skipping through the neighborhoods looking for tricks or treats.

My kids love Halloween. They really enjoy dressing up, seeing other children in costume and visiting the decorated houses. And of course there’s also the candy!

Although many children are super excited, tonight also brings some safety challenges. Pedestrian injuries among children are more common on Halloween than any other night. Research shows that the riskiest time for children to be outside is between 6pm and 9pm. Moreover, 62% of traffic fatalities among children occur in pedestrian areas in the middle of the street. So remind the children to look both ways and only cross at intersections.

If your child is old enough to go outside unsupervised, remind him to keep his head up and put the phone away. The best part is when they go out in groups or with a buddy. I know kids get excited and rush ahead, but sticking together keeps them safe.

What should parents look for in Halloween treats?

Children love to dive straight into their candy, but they actually have to wait until they get home. Although rare, tampering can unfortunately occur. Additionally, some cannabis edibles look like regular candy and can accidentally end up in their bag. It’s best if an adult goes through all the treats first and throws away any unwrapped or suspicious-looking items.

I would also recommend having healthy snacks ready when they get home so they don’t start nibbling on sweets right away. And try to pace the treats so that children don’t get a stomachache, nausea or even vomiting if they eat too many sweets. This is a good time to talk to kids about moderation, balance, and enjoying treats in a healthy way.

What should parents do if children bring home too much candy?

After Halloween, there are some fun ways to use all that extra candy. Parents can:

• Donate it. Some charities, shelters and food banks are accepting candy donations to bring some extra joy.
• Take a look at buyback programs. Many dentists let children trade candy for money or prizes, and some send candy to U.S. troops.
• Save it for holiday baking. You can chop up chocolate and use M&Ms for cookies, or decorate gingerbread houses with hard candies.
• Use candy for science or art projects. Try dissolving candy in different liquids or let children create candy mosaics.
• Another option is to have children trade candy for toys. Let them pick out a few favorite treats and trade in the rest for a small prize.

And if all else fails, just take the extra candy to work and leave it in the break room. It’ll be gone soon enough! I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween tonight!
This week in the Dr. Nandi Show

The food we eat can have a major impact on how we feel. In this episode, Dr. examines Partha Nandi, MD, explains how food affects our mood and how we can incorporate mood-boosting alternatives into our daily diet. Dr. Nandi is a licensed therapist and wellness speaker who talks about the connection between mood disorders and nutrition. A registered dietitian also informs us about the healthy foods that we should include in our diet. This episode helps make it easier for everyone to understand how food can affect us. Watch “Mood and Food” on Sunday, November 3 at 2 p.m.