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Safety Tips to Prevent Halloween-Related Injuries

To help prevent injuries to children this Halloween, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends several safety tips.

Trick-or-Treat Tips

• Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.

• Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and low-flying brooms.

• Cross the street only at corners.

• Don't hide or cross the street between parked cars.

• Wear light-colored or reflective-type clothing so you are more visible. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too!)

• Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible, have an adult go with you.

• Carry a flashlight to light your way.

• Keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be extremely flamable.)

• Visit homes that have the porch light on.

• Accept your treats at the door and never go into a stranger's house.

• Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover your eyes.

• Be cautious of animals and strangers.

• Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating. And don't eat candy if the package is already opened. Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.

*Source: American Red Cross

Halloween-related injuries can involve burns from flammable costumes ignited by open flames from items such as candles and jack-o'-lanterns, and abrasions from sharp objects attached to masks or costumes.

The CPSC suggests:

On costumes

When purchasing costumes, masks, beards and wigs, look for flame resistant fabrics such as nylon or polyester or look for the label "Flame Resistant." Flame resistant fabrics will resist burning and should extinguish quickly. To minimize the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.

Purchase or make costumes that are light, bright and clearly visible to motorists.

For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car' headlights. Bags or sacks also should be light colored or decorated with reflective tape. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores.

Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen.

Costumes should be well-fitted and not drag on the ground to guard against trips and falls.

Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes. Oversized high heels are not a good idea.

Tie hats and scarves securely to prevent them from slipping over children's eyes and obstructing vision.

If your child wears a mask, make sure it fits securely, provides adequate ventilation, and has eye holes large enough to allow full vision.

Swords, knives and similar costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.

Treats

Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has examined them carefully for evidence of tampering.

Carefully examine any toy or novelty items received by trick-or- treaters under three years of age. Do not allow young children to have any items that are small enough to present a choking hazard or that have small parts or components that could separate during use and present a choking hazard.

Decorations

Keep candles and jack-o'-lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.

Remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when expecting trick- or-treaters.

Indoors, keep candles and jack-o'-lanterns away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could be ignited.

Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets.

Don't overload extension cords.

Alternative Therapies For New & Expectant Mothers

Proving you're never too young for a good massage, Hallmark Health Corp. of Malden, Mass., recently announced innovative alternative therapy services for new and expectant mothers and their newborns -- including massage therapy, reiki, shiatsu and foot reflexology.

"State of the art health care for maternity patients doesn't always require high-tech solutions," said Christine Candio, R.N., M.P.A., C.H.E., director of Women's and Children's Services for Hallmark Health. "After nine months of physical and hormonal changes — topped off by the stress of labor and delivery — alternative therapies can produce many health benefits for pregnant women, new mothers and their newborns."

Hallmark Health Maternity Services, in partnership with the Huggins Center for Alternative Therapies in Melrose, Mass., are offering alternative therapy services at Hallmark hospitals, as well as through several outpatient programs in communities just north of Boston.

Shiatsu combines the benefits of massage and acupuncture — but without needles — and features the use of fingers, palms and body weight, along with gentle stretching, to relieve muscle tension and to balance mind, body and spirit. Reiki is a technique used to improve health by balancing a person's energy system and creating a sense of relaxation and general well being. Foot reflexology — rooted in the belief that the bottom of the foot is a "map" to all areas and organs of the body — provides stimulation designed to restore balance and facilitate healing.

For more information, visit the Hallmark Health Corp. Web site.

Treating Ear Infections With Antibiotics

Parents have trouble administering antibiotics appropriately, particularly when trying to treat ear infections, according to a new national survey.

About one-third of the almost 1,500 mothers surveyed said there were times when their child was not able to complete their full course of antibiotic therapy, one of the contributing factors to the increase in resistance.

Two common reasons included:

A bad reaction to the medication.
Stopping therapy when the child feels better, before completing the full course of antibiotics.

"Administering the complete dose of prescribed antibiotics on schedule is important," says John S. Bradley, M.D., Director of the Division of Infectious Disease at Children's Hospital in San Diego. "Significant deviation from the prescribed schedule can weaken the capability of the drug. This can ultimately lead to more infections, more visits to the doctor's office, and an increase in antibiotic resistance."

Childhood ear infections have risen 300 percent over the last 20 years, prompting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials to call the spread of S. pneumoniae an "urgent" problem. The CDC estimates that drug-resistant bacteria cause one million ear infections a year.

The survey was conducted by Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., a leading research-intensive pharmaceutical company.

Workers' Sick Children Get Care

Centennial Medical Center in Nashville is the first hospital in the state to offer on demand sick child care services to its workforce as an employee benefit through Nashville-based Get Well Centers.

The nearly 2,000 full-time employees at this leading Nashville hospital will have access to professional care for their temporarily sick children during the workday. The decision to add this benefit was the result of a recommendation from an employee activity committee, a group of employees from throughout the hospital.

"Our employees know we believe in family. It's important for them to know they have this option and they don't have to choose between work and family," said David Hallock, human resources director at Centennial.

Hallock added, "It has trained, licensed professionals taking care of the kids. If our employees are happier, knowing their sick kids are well cared for, our staff stays up to speed, and the patients are well cared for. Everyone wins!"

Consumer Alerts

Precious Moments® Tender Tails® stuffed toys come with pom-poms that can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. Enesco Corp., of Itasca, Ill., is recalling 472,000 of these toys.

Consumers should immediately cut off the pom-poms from these stuffed toys and return the pom-poms along with their name, address and phone number to Enesco to receive a free Tender Tails® Hippo toy. For more information, visit their web site, or email them at ttpompoms@enesco.com.

For more information about recalls, visit CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov.