| Children | Adults | Teachers | Medical |
OKLAHOMA CITY - “If trick-or-treat candy is not in a sealed wrapper or does not look fresh or normal in color, throw it away,” says Tracy McKeown, education coordinator at Oklahoma Poison Control Center, a program of the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy.
Every year, the Poison Control Center receives numerous calls from parents concerned about the safety of candy children receive while trick-or-treating. “Tell your children not to eat any of the candy they receive until you’ve had a chance to look it over,” McKeown cautions parents. She suggests parents have extra candy on hand to replace any of their children’s candy they might need to throw away.
During the Halloween season, the center also receives calls about dry ice and glow-in-the-dark materials.
“It’s safe to drink the punch chilled with dry ice, but touching it can cause burns,” warns Kim Stanton, center pharmacist. “Make sure people don’t put dry ice in their mouth or touch it with bare hands.”
Last Halloween, the center received calls about jewelry, glow sticks and other items containing glow-in-the-dark chemicals. “These substances can be very irritating, especially if a youngster gets them in his or her eyes,” says pharmacist Lauri Gormley. “Usually, the only cause mild problems, but it’s a good idea to call the Poison Control Center if an exposure occurs.”
McKeown warns pet owners to keep candy away from the family pet. “Chocolate can be lethal to dogs,” she says.
The Oklahoma Poison Control Center web site is provided free of charge to the public as an informational and educational tool. This web site is NOT intended as a substitute for a consultation with the Oklahoma Poison Control Center. The center is a statewide program operated by The University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy in cooperation with Children's Hospital at the OU Medical Center. Our pharmacists and nurses are specially trained poison experts available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.