Health Hazards to Avoid at Halloween Fall Festivals

Thought you could take your child to the community, church or school fall festival without a care? Think again. Most Halloween fall festivals are non-profit events organized by dozens of volunteers, meaning parents can only expect so much when it comes to sanitation and safety. To limit your child's Halloween dangers to evil goblins and ill-tempered witches, freshen up on health hazards to avoid at Halloween fall festivals.

Though a time honored tradition at Halloween fall festivals, bobbing for apples (or Heaven knows what else) can turn into bobbing for a cold, the flu, strep throat, etc. Of course, you know this already. However, not all communities have banned this germ swapping fun at their Halloween festivities, so do ask ahead of time and instruct your child not to take part in a game that requires, well, placing your mouth on anything in a public place.

Next, scan your Halloween fall festival for games that require the use of sharp darts, and be sure that an adult is monitoring any such activities closely at all times. Age requirements should be in place for games that require the use of darts to pop balloons or hit targets for prizes, but unfortunately parents can never be certain. If your child is under the age of ten, instruct him/her to avoid dart games altogether, as pricked fingers and wayward throws are a common problem.

A lesser "evil" at Halloween fright festivals lies at face painting stations. Most children line up for face painting without a second thought, and most volunteers place little attention on factors such as clean brushes and the transference of germs from one face to another. Remember, face-painting brushes come into direct contact with the eyes and lips of other children. Unless one of the treats your child was hoping to bring home includes an eye infection or a cold sore, supply your child with his/her own set of brushes and face paint for festival artists to use during his/her turn. This practice also reduces the risk of exposure to allergens and irritants.

With irritants and allergens in mind, keep children with asthma and other bronchial conditions away from Halloween scenes that might include the use of fog machines. Chemicals used in these Halloween haunted house mainstays can be extremely harmful to children (and adults) suffering from breathing difficulties. Even outdoor displays are a risk for such individuals. Therefore, be aware that fog machines are often used during Halloween to give haunted houses, hay rides, and graveyard scenes a eerie touch, and your child may not be able to quickly leave such attractions should the need arise.

Of course, if the Halloween festival your child is attending offers inflatable jumping equipment ("moon walks," slides, etc), he/she will be dying to hop on with the multitudes of other young festival attendees. While generally very safe, small children are at risk in enclosed jumping equipment pieces that are overcrowded. Be sure that volunteers are maintaining a strict occupancy limit, and that older, larger children and teens are not permitted to jump or slide with smaller children.

On that note, many towns, churches, and schools offer their young Halloween fall festival participants an enclosed ball pit. Again, be sure that overcrowding and the admittance of teens is not an issue. However, skipping ball pits altogether might be a good idea for smaller, younger children. Not only are ball pits infamous for their germy conditions (think body heat, sweat, fluids, and extreme difficulty when it comes to sanitizing), they are also known for literally trapping small children who cannot easily be seen. As children love to "swim" down as far as they can into the multi-colored masses within ball pits, they are at risk of being suffocated by larger children playing above them. Not only that, but serious injuries derived from being accidentally hit or kicked by others are common mishaps for younger children in ball pits. Use your own judgment and carefully examine the participants and supervisors before allowing your child to take part.

If all else fails, keep your child safe at this year's Halloween festival by bringing along the hand sanitizer and simply tagging along yourself. While sending your child with a family member, teen, or a school group to a fall festival might be acceptable, your peace of mind might be better served if you are able to supervise the festivities for yourself. If that's simply not an option, print out this list and send it with your child's supervisor, with your safety and health wishes in mind.