The Dangers of Trick-or-Treating: 4 Tips to Protect Your Kids This Halloween

Trick-or-treating is plenty of fun, but the Halloween tradition can be dangerous: A boy in Ohio was rushed to the hospital over the weekend when he apparently ingested methamphetamine while out in his neighborhood for the holiday, authorities said. 

The 5-year-old child was playing with plastic vampire teeth that he got while trick-or-treating in Galion on Sunday when he began having what his father said appeared to be a seizure, WBNS-TV reported. He was rushed to the hospital, where he tested positive for meth, the child’s parents said.

The little boy said he hadn’t had any candy yet, but had put the toy teeth in his mouth twice before he started feeling sick, according to WBNS-TV.

Galion Police are investigating the incident, they wrote on Facebook Sunday. The child was trick-or-treating on the west side of town in the Arlington, Highland and Tidd areas, officials said.

“The little boy is being treated and is expected to make a full recovery,” Galion Police said.

Police collected the vampire teeth and the boy’s candy and sent it to a crime lab for testing, the Mansfield News Journal reported. 

Below are some tips to ensure your little goblins and ghouls are happy and healthy this Halloween: 

Make sure those treats aren’t tricks: Check all candy before giving it to your children. Throw away any candy that is not sealed with a wrapper and avoid homemade or repackaged treats received from strangers, no matter how appetizing they may appear. 

Be on the lookout for choking hazards: Be mindful of the types of candy your children can safely ingest, keeping an eye out for gum and hard candies. 

Keep an eye out for allergens, too: If your child has serious allergies or food sensitivities, read any unfamiliar labels before handing over the candy. 

Trust your gut: If you suspect that any items handed out during trick-or-treating have been tampered with, contact your local police department.

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