Getting thrills out of being spooked is a tradition at Halloween. To help ensure the scary time with a giggle doesn’t become a fright night, California Poison Control System (CPCS) offers these treat-smart tips for a safe Halloween season.

Do not let your child eat any candy until you’ve inspected it.

Look for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, pinholes, or tears in wrappers, and discard anything that looks suspicious.

Make sure your child sticks with factory-wrapped candy. Throw away unwrapped candy immediately.

If your child has a food allergy, read the labels to ensure the allergen — such as peanuts, eggs, dairy, or tree nuts — isn’t present.

If the candy or treat doesn’t have a label, throw it away.

Avoid homemade treats and treats with personal packaging, unless you know and trust the individuals who prepared them.

Fruit treats should be washed and cut open before allowing your child to eat them.

If your child brings home a brand of candy that isn’t familiar, throw it away.

Look for — and remove — potential choking hazards for young children such as small pieces of candy, gum, peanuts or small toys.

Medicine and candy can look, smell, and even taste alike. So make sure to store all your medicines out of sight and reach of children.

Try to keep your child from eating too much candy at once. Sugars and other sweeteners can act as laxatives when consumed in large amounts.

Glow sticks are popular items used by trick-or-treaters to see and be seen at night, but don’t let your child chew on them as the luminescent liquid inside it can cause mouth irritation and an upset stomach. The liquid can also cause skin and eye irritation.

Use nontoxic Halloween makeup on your child. Check the ingredients: some Halloween makeup contains lead or other toxic ingredients.

“Kids love dressing up in costumes for Halloween and going trick-or-treating for a candy haul that they then gorge on. One way you can help your child avoid the temptation of eating some of their booty before you have an opportunity to inspect it, is to make sure they have a snack before they head out for their candy harvest,” said Dr. Rais Vohra, Medical Director for the Fresno/Madera Division of CPCS.

For more information or if you have questions, call the CPCS 24-hour hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

Trained pharmacists, nurses and other providers are available to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is free, confidential and interpreters are available. CPCS is part of the University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy and is responsible to the California Emergency Medical Services Authority.