By Brogan Hayden, MD, Hendricks Pediatrics of Brownsburg

Halloween is one of the best nights of the year to be a kid. It's lots of fun, a little wild and maybe just a bit scary. As a pediatrician and a mom, my goal is to make sure the scary parts stay pretend.

Start with the costume. Before the big night, have your child put on the whole thing and actually move around in it. Can they see? Can they walk without tripping? Can they make it up and down steps? If not, make some adjustments. A flashlight, glow stick or reflective tape is also an easy addition that makes kids much easier for drivers to see after dark.

The street is the biggest safety concern. Excited kids and traffic are not a great combination. Kids should use sidewalks, cross at corners or crosswalks, and never dart into the street or between parked cars. And if you have a new teen driver, Halloween is a good night for an extra reminder to slow down and pay close attention in neighborhoods.

For little trick-or-treaters, especially those under 5, check the candy before they dig in. Hard candy, gum, popcorn, gummies and whole nuts can be choking hazards for young children. For kids with food allergies, read every label, even if it's a candy they've eaten before, since fun-size versions can have different ingredients or manufacturing information.

And about that giant bag of candy: it really is okay to let Halloween be Halloween. Let them enjoy some candy. Then decide what works for your family with the rest. You don't need to turn October 31 into a nutrition lesson or spend November negotiating over every miniature Snickers.

Check the costume. Watch the roads. Sort the candy. Then let them have fun.

Happy Halloween! 🍂🌙🎃👻🍬