Keep your children safe this Friday night

Despite its spooky origins, Halloween can be a happy time -- what's more fun than dressing up in a silly costume and asking the neighbors for candy?

But distracted, excited children, running around on the streets after dark could result in a bad situation. Parents and adults should take precautions to make sure Oct. 31 doesn't turn into a tragic and truly scary occasion.

The Nebraska Regional Poison Center offers the following tips for a safer Halloween holiday:

* Sponsor a block party as an alternative to wide-range trick-or-treating. Parties at home can substitute for, or at least shorten, trick-or-treat trips.

* Give out non-edible treats such as stickers, pencils, erasers, barrettes, magnets or other party favors.

* When children trick-or-treat, treats should be carefully inspected by adults. Homemade treats or anything out of its original wrapper should be discarded unless parents are positive of the identity of the person from which it came.

* Providing children with a full meal before trick-or-treating will reduce the temptation for children to eat treats before they return home.

* Make sure children are accompanied by an adult and take a flashlight along if it is dark. All children should stay in their own neighborhood and go only to homes of friends and family.

* Costumes should be warm, well fitting and non-flammable. Masks should provide adequate vision and should be removed while children are crossing streets. Use inexpensive, nontoxic face paint as an alternative to masks.

* Serving punch containing dry ice is not considered dangerous, as long as the ice is not swallowed in its solid form. Dry ice can injure tissues in the throat.

More information is available by calling the Nebraska Regional Poison Center at (800) 222-1222.