AHN Pediatricians Offer Halloween Health & Safety Tips for Little Witches, Ghouls and Goblins

AHN Pediatric Dietician Provides Guidance on How to Manage Halloween Candy Overload

PITTSBURGH – Allegheny Health Network (AHN)’s Pediatric Institute is offering helpful health and safety guidelines for this Halloween season, in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and with a special focus on how to manage a child’s abundance of Halloween candy after a successful night of trick-or-treating.

“Although Halloween and sugar often go hand in hand, it’s important to keep moderation in mind, especially to avoid nausea and stomach pains,” said Laura Cordero RDN, LDN, pediatric dietitian with AHN Pediatric Institute. “After a night of trick-or-treating, I would recommend children eat between five to 10 small pieces of candy – and less if they are eating full-size candy bars.”

While it’s fun to let children indulge, it’s also important to have a plan for all the leftovers, Cordero said.

Separate treats into three even piles of “favorites,” “donate” or “freeze,” on the following day. It’s a good rule of thumb to offer one to two mini pieces a day for roughly a week to ten days after Halloween, and frozen candy can be enjoyed in moderation throughout the year. Donations can often be made to local libraries, treats for troops organizations, nursing homes and senior centers, Cordero continued.

And of course, children should brush their teeth well before turning in for the night.

AHN pediatricians also offer the following guidance before children get into their favorite costumes and head out in their neighborhoods:

• Keep allergies in mind: Halloween can be one of the trickiest days of the year for children with food allergies. Be sure to read ingredient lists if your child has an allergy and consider offering non-edible goodies to trick-or-treaters and classmates like stickers or age-appropriate toys.
• Be cautious with decorative contact lenses: While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as "one size fits all," or "no need to see an eye specialist," getting decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal. Ill-fitting cosmetic lenses can cause pain, inflammation and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss in extreme cases.
• Wash your hands before diving into the treats: Fall and winter seasons remain the start of respiratory virus season. It’s important to maintain proper hygiene when with others, to wash hands before eating, and to stay home if not feeling well.
• Be mindful of children who may be neurodivergent: Some children may be nonverbal, and those who may look “too old” for trick-or-treating could be developmentally delayed.
• Be cautious of vehicle traffic: Cars on the road are the most common threat to trick-or-treaters, according to the AAP. Wear costumes that are bright and reflective, supervise all children under 12 years of age, stay on well-lit streets with sidewalks and review how to call 9-1-1 with your child in case of an emergency.

For more information on AHN or to make an appointment with AHN Pediatric Institute, please visit ahn.org.

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