The Childrens Wear Outlet

Friday, October 29, 2010

CPSC Reminds Parents How to Prevent Halloween Costume and Decoration-Related Injuries

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants parents of trick-or-treaters to know that there is nothing scary about preventing Halloween-related injuries. By taking a few simple safety precautions when selecting costumes and Halloween decorations, consumers can prevent burn, fall and laceration injuries.

Parents who make their kids' costumes can send off their little ghosts, goblins and superheroes safely by using inherently flame-resistant fabrics, such as polyester and nylon. These materials will resist burning if exposed to an open flame. When purchasing a costume, look for "Flame Resistant" on the product's tag or packaging

Lighting the night also is made safer when children have no access to open flames. Flameless candles, light sticks and flashlights provide a safe lighting alternative in jack-o'-lanterns and areas where children will have access.

"Uncovering Halloween's hidden dangers is simple with CPSC's safety steps," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Thoughtful costume selection, care with candles and careful placement of decorations and lighting will help ensure your Halloween is safe and enjoyable."

In addition to providing safety tips, the CPSC works to keep children and families safe during the holiday celebration by enforcing the Flammable Fabrics Act and recalling hazardous costumes and products at Halloween and throughout the year.

Make this year's holiday a safe one by following these safety tips on costumes, treats and decorations:

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, large capes or billowing skirts.
* Purchase or make costumes that are light colored, 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's 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.
* To guard against trips and falls, costumes should fit well and not drag on the ground.
* 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 their 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 toys or novelty items received by trick-or-treaters younger than 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 items that could ignite. Do not leave burning candles unattended.
* Indoors or outside, use only decorative light strands 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.

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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Jacob’s Turn, An Inspiring Documentary Short Film To Raise Awareness and Money For Down Syndrome, Wins Hearts Across The Country

Editor Note:  What a great story to share.  Little Jacob is a star and is the perfect candidate to bring his story and that of all special needs children to the spotlight.  Well done, Jacob and his awesome support team.

(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the midst of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, the newly released heart-warming documentary short film, “Jacob’s Turn,” is gaining momentum and attention across the country, raising awareness and money for Down Syndrome charities.

Jacob’s Turn is a mother’s story of Jacob Titus, her four-year-old boy from the small rural community of Floyds Knobs, Indiana. Jacob loves to play T-ball, like thousands of kids across the country. Jacob also happens to have Down Syndrome. The film shows how Jacob’s “turn” at bat and on the field was a thrill for him, but more importantly, an event that transformed the hearts of everyone in his town.



Jacob’s mother, Patricia Titus, wrote an article about his experience - and the way the town came to embrace his triumph. This article would soon stop the busy, constantly on-the-go Nick Nanton in his tracks, touch his heart and those of numerous high profile business people, and inspire them to executive produce the extraordinary documentary short film based on Patricia’s story.

As Executive Producer, Nick Nanton worked with his extended network of marketing experts to create awareness of “Jacob’s Turn,” through a method of marketing that is usually applied to commercial ventures, but for the first time was used to launch a charitable campaign - one which will help benefit children not only with Down Syndrome but a wide variety of special needs. The goal of everyone with an emotional and financial investment in the film is to raise people’s awareness and generate charitable donations that will help these kids receive the assistance they need to lead the best lives they can—to get their “turn.”

At its heart, however, “Jacob’s Turn” is designed to inspire - to let special needs children and their parents know that the unique challenges they face need not limit the potential to achieve dreams, even small ones that start out on a baseball field in a place like Floyds Knobs.

Others contributing to the project are Nanton’s partners, JW Dicks & Lindsay Dicks, along with Mike Koenigs, Preston Ely, Baeth Davis, Mark Richter, Bill Gough, Richard Seppala, Dr. Scott Schumann, Darrin Mish and Jared Bonshire.

Learn more at www.jacobsturn.com/the-mission

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Monday, October 25, 2010

National Cyber Security Radio Re-Airs Show Topic: 5 Ways to Reduce Cyber-Bullying by 80%

/PRNewswire/ -- National Cyber Security Radio, by LIGATT Security International (OTC: LGTT), an online computer security radio show, will re-air last week's topic "How to Reduce Cyber-bullying by 80% Immediately" today at 3pm EDT on www.NationalCyberSecurity.com.

During this week's show, Host Gregory D. Evans will educate his listeners on the legalities and long lasting effects of cyber-bullying. According to StopCyberbullying.org, children have killed each other and committed suicide after having been involved in a cyber-bullying incident. Cyber-bullying is usually not a onetime communication, unless it involves a death threat or a credible threat of serious bodily harm.

"Cyber-bullying is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed," comments Evans. "I want my listeners to understand that cyber-bullies are cowards. The sad part about the Internet is people can portray to be whoever they want to be and hide behind a keyboard."

Tune in every Monday from 3pm-5pm to listen to World Renowned Cyber Security Expert, Gregory Evans. For more information about Gregory Evans visit www.GregoryDEvans.com, or follow him on Twitter @GregoryDEvans. For more information about National Cyber Security visit www.NationalCyberSecurity.com, or follow them on Twitter @NCSbyLIGATT.

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Thursday, October 21, 2010

Contest To Celebrate Wonders Of Chemistry

(NAPSI)-If your kids have ever watched a movie or TV show and asked, “Wow, how did they do that?” they may be interested to learn that many seemingly magical special effects are really chemistry at work.

You can help children learn more about chemistry and special effects by participating in National Chemistry Week (NCW) 2010. As part of this year’s celebration, the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting a national poster contest for kids from kindergarten to 12th grade. Invite students to create a poster that celebrates the theme “Behind the Scenes with Chemistry.”

The poster should be fun, motivational and inspire students to learn how costume designers, makeup artists, graphic artists and special effects technicians use chemistry to create the special effects that make movies and TV shows so much fun to enjoy!

First- and second-place prizes for the best posters will be awarded in the following categories: grades K to 2, 3 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 12. The first-place prize is $100 and second-place is $50.

Contest Rules

All entries must be original works without aid from others and must be no larger than 14 x 22 inches. Entries must be hand drawn using crayons, paint, colored pencils or markers.

Judging

Entries will be evaluated based on artistic merit (use of color, quality of drawing, poster design and layout), poster message (should be fun, motivational and promote chemistry’s important role in life), originality, creativity and neatness.

Anyone can join in the celebration of NCW 2010 and get ready to celebrate the International Year of Chemistry 2011 (IYC 2011) by visiting www.acs.org/iyc2011.

Here are some simple things children can do at home or in the classroom. Using household chemicals, they can create:

• Fake snow or fog that will fool their friends

• Paper that changes color before their eyes

• Fake blood that looks real.

To find out how to make these special effects, go to www.acs.org/ncw.

Families can also attend a Science Café to learn more about the wonders of chemistry and how they are used to produce movies and TV shows. Go to www.acs.org/ncw to find a Science Café event near you.


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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

New Study Finds Bullying and Cyberbullying are Parent's #1 Fear More Than Kidnapping, Domestic Terrorism and Suicide

/PRNewswire/ -- Whom do parents fear more, Stranger Danger or a Facebook friend? According to a national survey commissioned by Care.com, Inc. (http://www.care.com), bullying and cyberbullying have eclipsed kidnapping as the greatest fear parents have regarding their children's safety.

Nearly one in three (30%) parents of children 12-17 years old fear bullying and cyberbullying over kidnapping, domestic terrorism, car accidents, suicide or any other incident. And of parents whose children are under 12 years old, more than one in four (27%) parents say they are most afraid of bullying and cyberbullying, with kidnapping only slightly higher (30%).

Care.com, Inc., the premier source of trustworthy family care options, including profiles of hundreds of thousands of babysitters, nannies, and senior caregivers, found that parents are taking the issue seriously. In response to recent news coverage of teens being bullied or cyberbullied across the country, 75% of parents are now monitoring text messages and social media activity. They report also now speaking with their children about the dangers of bullying.

Is Technology to blame? Parents clearly feel that it is. Almost two out of three (62%) parents agree that increased use of texting, social media activity and the playing of more violent video games are resulting in meaner behavior among kids. This concern increases in the South (71%) and Northeast (67%), but decreases to half (50%) of parents in the Midwest.

Parents want their children's schools to take action. More than one in three parents surveyed, report encouraging their schools to create anti-bullying programs and have teachers address bullying as well. Nearly half (46%) feel that the schools are listening, giving their children's schools a grade of A or B. However, one out of five parents (19%) feel that their schools are doing a poor job or simply failing their kids when it comes to this issue.

"Mean kids and bullies are not new, but the access to social media networks and cell phones that can make bullying both anonymous and seemingly innocuous is the new danger. And parents are genuinely afraid," said Wendy Sachs, editor-in-chief of Care.com. "Our study found that parents are also stepping up and want their schools and communities involved."

The failure increases in the West where more than one out of four parents (29%) give their children's schools a poor or failing grade. By comparison, more than half (57%) of parents in the Northeast believe their schools are doing a good job at handling bullying. Other findings include:

* Fathers fear bullying and cyberbullying the most, of which a quarter of men (25%) cite it as the number one fear compared with a third (35%) of mothers who perceive kidnapping to be the greatest danger.


* In New York, one in three parents (31%) cite bullying and cyberbullying as a greater fear than domestic terrorism (19%) despite the WTC attacks less than ten years ago.


* The Midwest is the most concerned about bullying and cyberbullying, where a third of parents (33%) felt it was the most significant fear for them.


* Western states parents remain most concerned about kidnapping with 43% versus bullying and cyberbullying (20%). However, when asked to evaluate what their child's school has done to educate kids about the dangers of bullying and cyberbullying, one out of four (24%) gave a poor or failing grade (D or F).


* In the South, kidnapping and bullying and cyberbullying are of equal concern to parents with a quarter of parents (24%) acknowledging that they are fearful of them.


The Care.com survey was conducted via a national telephone survey among a weighted sample of 394 adults 18 years of age and older living in private households in the continental United States. Interviewing for this CARAVAN Survey was completed during the period October 8-11, 2010.

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Thursday, October 14, 2010

Award-Winning Author Pens First Book For Kids Concerned About Gulf Wildlife!

SOMEWHERE ON THE GULF COAST: While adults might think that it’s just the locals, the BPers, the fishermen, and the media keeping a close eye on the Gulf Coast oil spill, many, many pairs of concerned eyes belong to local children, children across America and children around the world.

“Kids always care about the animals,” says Carole Marsh, author of a new book, THE GULF COAST OIL SPILL: POOR LITTLE PELICAN + A KIDREPORTS PHOTO-DOCUMENTARY for ages 4 to 8. Marsh, who grew up on the Georgia coast, spent 20 years on the North Carolina coast, and has been a frequent visitor to locations all along the Gulf Coast, believes the concerns of children should be addressed above all.

“After all,” says the author, “they see us make a mess, but what they want to know is how to help, how to avoid such problems in the future, and most especially, how they can grow up and make a difference.” Her book tells a charming, alliterative read-aloud (or read-alone) story of a family of pelicans and their own shocked discovery of the recent oil spill and its aftermath. The pitch-perfect story is followed by a photo documentary by Gulf Coast girl Erin telling how current events collided with the coastal environment and wildlife. Teachers (and parents) will appreciate the crystal clear explanations and graphics, as well as a glossary and reproducible activities.

“On the one hand, the crisis seems almost over to many people,” Marsh says, “but children, teachers, schools, and others will explore this issue for a long time. I want to give them the facts, the background, the science, but most of all, the hope that things will be all right (and how and why and when), and that they can indeed help by learning more and perhaps even considering future careers that could positively impact coastal environments and the wildlife that live there.”

“Learning more” has been the author’s 30-year writing challenge. She has written more than 60 books on each Gulf Coast state, created social studies curriculum-related resources widely used in Louisiana, and also has a series of children’s mysteries, many set in Gulf Coast states.

Marsh is CEO and founder of Gallopade International, a leader in the production of children’s books, curriculum-related resources and supplementary educational materials since 1979. Gallopade products have won many awards, including the Learning Magazine Teachers’ Choice Award, the iParenting Media Award for Greatest Products and the National School Supply and Equipment Association Excellent in Education Award.


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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Safe Kids USA Launches New National Initiative to Reduce Sports Injuries in Kids

/PRNewswire/ -- Safe Kids USA ( http://www.safekids.org ) has announced the launch of a new educational effort aimed at helping parents, coaches and athletes reduce the more than 3.5 million injuries that occur in youth sports every year in the United States.(1) The nationwide initiative is the latest focus area for Safe Kids USA and its 600 coalitions, which also works to prevent unintentional childhood injury in other areas including drowning, car accidents and poison prevention.

This effort will focus on the most common causes of preventable injuries including overuse, dehydration, heat-related illness, concussion and injuries caused by pre-existing medical conditions and lack of conditioning. Safe Kids USA will supply its coalitions with information to help parents, coaches and athletes in their communities reduce injuries. The initiative is being supported by Johnson & Johnson, the founding sponsor of Safe Kids Worldwide and Safe Kids USA.

"Injuries in youth sports are occurring at an alarming rate," said Mitch Stoller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Safe Kids Worldwide. "Risks are often recognized too late or injuries are looked upon as just part of the game. We're here to say it's not always part of the game and there are things that each one of us can do, particularly parents, to help shape the physical and emotional environment for safe and fun participation in sports."

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 38 million children and adolescents participate in organized sports in the U.S.(2) and about 1-in-10 receives medical treatment for a sports injury.(1) Experts say as many as half the injuries sustained by youth while playing sports are likely preventable.(3)

"Encouraging children to play sports is one of the best ways to help them stay fit, develop athletic skills, make friends and learn valuable lessons that they can carry for a lifetime," said John Hurley, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who treats young athletes and is working with Safe Kids USA. "But young athletes have special needs because their bodies are still growing making them more prone to injury. And, if there is too much pressure to compete, they may overexert themselves, play in pain or return to activity too quickly after an injury, all of which could have both short- and long-term consequences."

As part of its educational campaign, Safe Kids USA and Johnson & Johnson have partnered with cable network, Nickelodeon and internet service and media company, AOL to develop and run public service announcements (PSAs) on the prevention of youth sports injury. Nickelodeon will continue airing the PSAs through October on TeenNick, Nick at Nite and other Nickelodeon programming; and AOL will produce web PSAs for online distribution. In addition, Safe Kids USA coalitions have conducted youth sports safety clinics throughout the country for parents, coaches, athletes and community members.

The subject will also be explored in an interactive webcast entitled, "Youth Sports Injury – What Every Parent Needs to Know," on October 27 at 7 p.m. EDT. Pre-registration is required. Speakers include leading experts from the fields of sports medicine, athletic training, pediatrics and child safety. The webcast will be available for future viewing here: http://media.xfactorcom.com/sd/20101027_sports/.

"We are issuing a call to action to parents everywhere to learn more about how they can play an even greater role in preventing youth sports injuries," said Jamie A. Freishtat, MD, one of the speakers for the webinar and a board-certified pediatrician, safety advocate and blogger for Safe Kids USA. "It's more than making sure your kids get to and from games and keeping their schedule. It's about knowing early warning signs, partnering with their coach and making sure you and your kids have the right attitude and realistic expectations about sports."

Is Your Kid Sports Ready? Pre-Participation Physical Evaluations: Safe Kids USA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend every child receive an annual pre-participation evaluation (PPE), which will help determine his/her readiness to play sports and may uncover underlying conditions that could limit participation or increase the risk for injury or a medical emergency. Parents should talk to their child's doctor and ask them to perform the full pre-participation evaluation, which was recently updated by the AAP.

Overuse Injuries: Experts say up to 50 percent of all injuries seen in pediatric sports medicine are related to overuse.(4) An overuse injury is difficult to diagnose and treat because they are usually subtle and occur over time. Fatigue, burnout or playing while injured can lead to sport-related injuries for children including sprains (mostly ankle), muscle strains, bone or growth plate injuries and repetitive motion injuries. Warming up and stretching before play is essential to preventing sports related injuries. This helps athletes avoid injuries such as muscle tears or sprains by stretching and releasing any muscle tension.

Concussion: Children who do not wear or use protective equipment are at greater risk of sustaining sports-related injuries. Parents can reduce their child's risk of minor or serious injuries such as concussions by making sure their child wears the appropriate and properly fitted sports equipment during practice and play and knowing the signs and symptoms of a concussion.

Dehydration/Health Related Illness: Young athletes need to be encouraged to drink water before, during and after practice, and play to prevent dehydration and the risk of heat-related illness such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Athletes should start practice/play fully hydrated, drinking water for every 20 minutes of play.

View the Safe Kids USA sports safety guide online here (http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-guide/sports-safety-guide/).

Safe Kids USA Partners for Prevention

Safe Kids USA is coordinating this national campaign through an alliance and collaboration that spans scientific, medical and health professional, non-profit and corporate organizations across the country. The partners include: The American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Pediatrics – Council on Sports Medicine & Fitness, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Optometric Association – Sports Vision Section Council, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johnson & Johnson/DePuy Mitek, LA 84 Foundation, National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA), Safe Kids Worldwide, Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group, and the University of Michigan Bone &Joint Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation Center.

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Just-In-Time For Mystery Month New Titles Scare Children Into Reading

October is National Mystery Month, kicking off with Mystery Series Week October 3 through 9. What better time to encourage children to get immersed in a page-turning mystery adventure? The release of award-winning author Carole Marsh’s six newest mysteries is perfect for celebrating Mystery Month!

“I can’t wait to hear from readers which is their favorite,” enthuses Marsh. “I am thrilled to publish them in time for Mystery Month and to support 2010: The Year of the Children’s Mystery Book. A writer’s most exciting day is the day a new book is in reader’s hands. With the delivery of six new titles to my fans, I am over the moon!”

With interesting (and historic, but never dull) U.S. settings that range from Death Valley to the Smoky Mountains and from Cape Cod to the Lost Colony, these new mysteries from Marsh’s America’s National Mystery Book Series are full of fun facts, mysterious messages, and enticing clues to solve.

The six new titles are:
Carole Marsh Mysteries encompass 78 books in 9 distinct series. These 6 new mysteries build America’s National Mystery Book Series to 40 titles. This series, which won the Learning Magazine Teachers’ Choice Award for the Family, features real children visiting real U.S. places. Kids love these mysteries because they are fun to read, and teachers and parents love them because of their high-value educational content. Plus, each mystery has an Accelerated Reader level, Lexile measure, Fountas & Pinnell level, and DRA level.

Carole Marsh is the national spokesperson of 2010: Year for the Children’s Mystery Book (visit www.childrensmysterybooks.org to learn more) and has been named Georgia Author of the Year for Middle Readers. She is the founder and CEO of Gallopade International, a leader in the production of children’s books, curriculum-related materials and supplementary educational materials since 1979.



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Thursday, October 7, 2010

1 in 4 High School Students and Young Adults Report Binge Drinking

60 percent of high school students who drink, binge drink

More than 1 in 4 high school students and adults ages 18 to 34 engaged in a dangerous behavior known as binge drinking during the past month, according to the findings from a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report shows that each year more than 33 million adults have reported binge drinking, defined as having four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men over a short period of time, usually a couple of hours. And the report said levels of binge drinking have not declined during the past 15 years.

The CDC report found men are more than twice as likely to binge drink than women (21 percent compared to 10 percent). It said binge drinking is more common among non-Hispanic whites (16 percent of whom binge drink) than among non-Hispanic blacks, (10 percent of whom binge drink).

"Binge drinking, increases many health risks, including fatal car crashes, contracting a sexually transmitted disease, dating violence, and drug overdoses," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "Excessive alcohol use remains the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States and leads to a wide range of health and social problems."

In this report, CDC scientists analyzed data on self reports of binge drinking within the past 30 days for about 412,000 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and for approximately 16,000 U.S. high school students from the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).

"Alarmingly, almost 1 in 3 adults and 2 in 3 high school students who drink alcohol also binge drink, which usually leads to intoxication," said Dr. Robert Brewer, M.D., M.P.H., alcohol program leader at CDC and one of the authors of the report. "Although most binge drinkers are not alcohol-dependent or alcoholics, they often engage in this high risk behavior without realizing the health and social problems of their drinking. States and communities need to consider further strategies to create an environment that discourages binge drinking."

Drinking too much, including binge drinking, causes more than 79,000 deaths in the United States each year. Binge drinkers also put themselves and others at risk of car crashes, violence, the risk of HIV transmission and sexually transmitted diseases, and unplanned pregnancy. Over time, drinking too much can lead to liver disease, certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. Binge drinking can also cause harm to a developing fetus, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, if a woman drinks while pregnant.

Binge drinking varies widely from state to state, with estimates of binge drinking for adults ranging from 6.8 percent in Tennessee to 23.9 percent in Wisconsin. It is most common in the Midwest, North Central Plains, lower New England, Delaware, Alaska, Nevada, and the District of Columbia.

For more information on binge drinking, visit www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns or www.cdc.gov/alcohol. Members of the public who are concerned about their own or someone else's binge drinking can call 1-800-662-HELP to receive assistance from the national Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service. For state-specific estimates of alcohol-related deaths and Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) by condition, visit the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) system at https://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/ardi/HomePage.aspx.

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Tips For A Healthy Halloween

(StatePoint) Halloween ghouls may give kids a fright, but the buckets and bags of candy that come home can be equally scary for parents. With the abundance of sweet treats consumed on Halloween, not to mention the Thanksgiving pies and holiday cookies to come, now is the perfect time to teach your kids healthy habits, such as nutritious eating and good oral hygiene. 

Here are some ideas for keeping things healthy while still having fun:

Candy Common Sense

Consider offering alternatives to candy on Halloween. Stickers, removable tattoos or bottles of bubbles will be a refreshing change for kids of all ages. Toys like jump ropes, hacky sacks or sidewalk chalk for hopscotch will encourage kids to be active while still having fun.

Of course, you won't be able to avoid candy completely. Let your kids indulge now and then. Enjoying treats in moderation will help your kids learn to savor the moment. 

The Unsweet Tooth 

Half of all American kids will have a cavity by age 10. The good news is that you can play a role in teaching your kids healthy oral care habits from an early age. Be a role model with your own oral health by brushing and flossing every day and encourage your kids to practice along with you. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests parents supervise children under seven. 

Making brushing fun can encourage interdependence so kids become accustomed to their daily routines. Power toothbrushes, which typically remove more plaque than manual ones, can assist parents in teaching healthy brushing habits. Consider trying a toothbrush like the Philips Sonicare For Kids. It's simple to use and designed with two gripping locations so you can help your child brush. It also has a "KidTimer" to help children reach the dentist-recommended two-minute brushing time and musical tones indicating when it's time to move to a different area of the mouth. To learn more, visit sonicareforkids.philips.com.

Snack-or-Treat?

On Halloween, offer your kids a healthy snack before they go trick-or-treating. Peanut butter and apple slices and a glass of low-fat milk will go a long way in keeping candy cravings at bay. Filling them with protein and fiber will leave less room for sweet treats that offer little nutritional value.

Party Down

Halloween parties are a great new tradition that allows kids to stay safely off the streets while eating a moderate amount of sweets and getting exercise from fun and games. Just make sure you keep lit candles and jack-o-lanterns away from high-traffic areas. Then join in the fun!

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