skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Keeping IL Children Safe on Halloween

play audio
Play

Thursday, October 27, 2011   

CHICAGO - Most adults have fond memories of the days of trick-or-treating. Halloween can be lots of fun, but for some very young children it can be a bit overwhelming.

Dr. Karen Judy, a professor of pediatrics at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, advises parents with really little ones to talk to them before Halloween night about how "it's just pretend." When it comes time to go out, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises close adult supervision, Judy says.

"The AAP recommends that kids don't cross the street alone until they're 10 years old."

The doctor says even if young children are with a group of friends or siblings, having an adult following can be a comforting presence. As for costumes, the AAP recommends staying away from long ones that can cause children to trip and fall, and making sure they are flame resistant.

Judy says it is best if children trick-or-treat at the homes of friends and neighbors and go with friends or siblings.

"Definitely, kids should be trick-or-treating in groups, never alone, and ideally with an adult supervising."

Judy recommends putting reflective tape on costumes and staying away from masks, because they can obscure a child's vision. She adds that face paint sometimes causes problems, as well.

"Some recommend that if children are going to be wearing cosmetics, you test the cosmetic on a small area of their skin to make sure they don't have a reaction."

During busy holidays, Judy says, sometimes normally conscientious parents understandably may let their guard down.

"There's a million things going on, so I don't think it ever hurts to remind everybody to check those bags of candy for anything homemade, or not completely wrapped, or anything that looks suspicious. If in doubt, throw it out."

More ideas on how to keep children safe on Halloween are available from the American Academy of Pediatrics, www.aap.org.



get more stories like this via email

more stories
A report from the Tennessee HealthCare Campaign recommended the federal government needs to strengthen 340B drug pricing and other federal negotiation mechanisms to make needed medicines more readily available and less expensive for hospitals to purchase and administer. (Spotmatikphoto/AdobeStock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …


Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…


Nearly 13 million Americans receive health coverage through unique plans under both Medicare and Medicaid. They are known as Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021