Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is coming soon. I'm sure the kids have their costumes ready by now. Who doesn't enjoy a good scare on Halloween? But no one wants a scare related to their child's safety. Let's talk about ways to help keep kids safe on Halloween.

Is it safe for kids to trick or treat without an adult?

Children under the age of 12 should not be out alone at night without adult supervision. If your child is mature enough to go out without an adult, they should:

• Trick or treat in groups, preferably 3 or more
• Stay in familiar areas
• Stick to well-lit areas
• Only go to homes that have a porch light on
• Accept treats at the door and never go inside

What should you and your kids know about walking safely?

• Always walk on sidewalks. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks as much as possible.
• Put electronic devices down! Keep your head up and pay attention to your surroundings.
• Teach children to look left, then right, then left again before crossing a street and to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Teach children to walk, not run, across the street. Never walk between parked cars to cross the street.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up.

How can you make costumes safer?

• Choose face paint or makeup over masks when possible. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough not to obstruct your child's vision.
• Avoid costumes with long trailing fabric.
• Choose light colored costumes when possible.
• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers.
• Have kids carry flashlights and/or wear glow stick bracelets or necklaces so they are visible to drivers.
• Choose costumes that say "flame resistant" on the label and tell kids to stay away from open flames, such as in jack-o-lanterns.

Driving safely on Halloween

• Slow down and be particularly alert in residential neighborhoods.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections and along the side or the street.
• Enter and exit driveways and make turns slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate distractions in the car. Put electronic devices down! Concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Expect heavy pedestrian traffic. Leave early if you need to be somewhere at a specific time.
• Turn your headlights on earlier than you might normally.

What should you do at your home if you are expecting trick or treaters?

• Clear your porch or front yard of obstacles that might trip someone. Sweep your sidewalk.
• Light the area well.
• Use battery powered lights in jack-o-lanterns instead of candles whenever possible.

What about the candy?

• An adult should check all candy before kids eat it. Tell kids not to eat candy until they get home.
• Remove loose candy and open packages.
• Remove any candy that could pose a choking hazard for younger children.
• Discard homemade items or brand names that are unfamiliar.

I hope you all enjoy a safe Halloween!

If you have any questions about halloween safety, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.

Dr. Anita Bennett MD - Health Tip Content Editor

Domestic Violence Awareness

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence, also called Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), is very common. It is important to bring awareness to how serious and common this issue is in the US.

What is intimate partner violence (IPV)?

IPV is abuse or aggression that occurs surrounding a romantic relationship. It can occur with either a current or former spouse or dating partner. It can vary in how often it happens and how severe it is. It can range from one episode of violence to chronic and severe episodes over multiple years. It can start at any time during a relationship, even after the "intimate" part of the relationship has ended.

IPV can include any of the following:

• Physical violence – Such as hitting, kicking, or using any type of physical force to try to hurt an intimate partner.
• Sexual violence – Forcing or attempting to force a partner to take part in a sexual act, sexual touching, or a nonphysical sexual event (such as sexting), when the partner does not or cannot consent.
• Stalking – A pattern of repeated, unwanted attention and contact by a partner that causes fear or concern for one's own safety or the safety of someone else who is close to the victim.
• Psychological aggression – Using verbal or non-verbal communication with the intent to harm a partner mentally or emotionally and/or to exert control over a partner.

Who is affected by IPV?

IPV is common among all people, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, as well as people with disabilities.

When IPV occurs in adolescence, it is called teen dating violence. This type of IPV affects millions of US teens every year.

While IPV impacts all type of people in the US, some groups have a higher risk for violence. For instance, youth from groups that have been marginalized, such as sexual and gender minority youth are at greater risk of experiencing sexual and physical dating violence.

How common is IPV?

Research gathered by the CDC indicates that about 41% women and 26% of men, have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, and reported a significant impact related to this violence, during their lifetime. Common impacts reported include physical injury, PTSD, concern for safety, fear, missed work, and needing help from law enforcement.

What are the consequences of IPV?

IPV is a significant health issue that has both individual and societal costs. Here are some sobering statistics from data gathered from US crime reports:

• 1 in 5 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner.
• Over half of female homicide victims in the US are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.

There are many other negative health outcomes associated with IPV for individual survivors, including:

• Heart and cardiovascular problems
• Muscle and bone problems
• Digestive problems
• Nervous system problems
• Reproductive system problems
• Psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD
• Higher risk of developing addiction to alcohol, tobacco, and/or drugs.

What about the societal costs?

The most recent estimate of the economic cost associated with IPV in the US that I could find was from 2013, almost 10 years ago. At that time the cost of medical services for IPV-related injuries, lost productivity from paid work, criminal justice, and other costs added up to about $8.3 billion annually in the US. There is a study from the state of North Carolina from 2020, stating that domestic violence costs in the state for that year added up to $360 million. A 2022 study from Wisconsin estimated the annual cost of IPV in 2021 at $657 million and growing. Imagine that times 50 for the US.

That is just the economic cost. There are also long-term societal costs of IPV on the ones who have witnessed it (1 in 15 children annually in the US). They also have much higher rates of the negative health outcomes I mentioned above.

Addressing the issue of IPV could save thousands of lives and billions of dollars.

We will talk more about how we can help address this problem in a future Health Tip.

If you have any questions about domestic violence, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.

Dr. Anita Bennett MD - Health Tip Content Editor

Fire Prevention Week

This week is Fire Prevention Week. This year's campaign, "Fire Won't Wait. Plan Your Escape", is focused on educating everyone about simple but important actions that can keep you and your loved ones safe from home fires.

Why is this important?

According to the National Fire Protection Association, today's homes burn faster than ever. From the time a home fire triggers your smoke alarms to sound, you may have just two minutes or less to safely escape your home.

Two things are key to getting out of your house during a fire: the early warning from smoke alarms and planning in advance.

What do you need to know about smoke alarms?

Smoke alarms can sense smoke well before you can and alert you to danger. Here are some important things to know:

• Choose an alarm that is listed with a testing lab, so that you know it has met certain standards for protection. Smoke alarms need to be in the following locations:
• In every bedroom (or sleeping room) and any room with access to that room
• In each hallway
• In living areas that are directly connected to the kitchen
• At least one on each level of your home, including the basement
• Do NOT put smoke alarms in your kitchen or bathrooms, or in unfinished attics or garages, as these locations occasionally experience conditions that can result in improper operation, such as high heat or excessive steam.
• Test your smoke alarms regularly by pushing the test button. Change the battery if it does not make a sound (or the sound is low).
• Change the battery right away for any smoke alarm that makes a chirping sound.
• If possible, have smoke detectors that are interconnected installed by a qualified electrician, so that when one sounds, they all sound. This ensures that you can hear the alarm no matter where in your home the alarm originates.

How should you plan in advance to help you escape from a fire?

It is very important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape. Everyone needs to be prepared so they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Your plan will be specific to your home. Here are some things you should do to make your plan:

• Draw a simple map of your home, marking two different ways out of each room, including doors and windows, all the way to the outside. Share and discuss this map with all family members.
• Make sure all planned escape routes are always accessible and that doors and windows are easy to open.
• Plan on waking or helping anyone who might not be able to wake or escape on their own, such as young children, older adults, or people with disabilities. Each person should know who they are responsible for in advance.
• Make sure everyone in your home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and what to do when it sounds.
• Pick an outside meeting place that is a safe distance away from the house, such as a neighbor's house, or a specific tree, for everyone to meet after they escape the house.
• Practice this plan regularly with your family. Practice at different times of day or night. Practice using the different escape routes marked. Start with planned practices, then move to unannounced practice. Share your home escape plans with overnight guests.

For more information use this link: Fire Prevention Week (FPW) (nfpa.org)

If you have any questions about Fire Prevention Week, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.

Dr. Anita Bennett MD - Health Tip Content Editor

Down Syndrome

Down syndrome is the most common genetic chromosomal disorder and cause of learning disabilities in children. Each year, about 6,000 babies born in the US have Down syndrome. Better understanding of Down syndrome and early interventions could significantly improve the quality of life for children and adults with this disorder.

What causes Down syndrome?

In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus where genetic material is stored. Our genes are grouped into chromosomes, which carry the codes responsible for all our inherited traits. Normally, the nucleus contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, one copy of each chromosome from each parent.

Sometimes a problem with cell division very early during development of the fetus can lead to an extra copy of chromosome 21. This extra copy changes how the baby's body and brain develop, leading to both mental and physical challenges.

Although we don't know exactly what cause the extra chromosome to develop, we do know that there is an increased risk of having a baby with Down syndrome as women get older. However, due to the higher birth rates in younger women, 51% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.

What are the symptoms of Down syndrome?

While there are some distinctive features of Down syndrome, each person with the condition is an individual. Their developmental and intellectual problems range from mild to severe. Some people have significant health problems, while others are very healthy. Here are some of the most common features of Down syndrome:

• Small head with relatively flattened face and a short neck
• Upward slanting eyes
• Unusually shaped or small ears
• Protruding tongue
• Poor muscle tone
• Short height
• Small hands and feet and relatively short fingers with a single crease in the palm

Intellectual disabilities associated with Down syndrome may include:

• Cognitive impairment, which can be mild to severe
• Delayed language development
• Problems with both short and long-term memory

What are the health complications that can happen with Down syndrome?

• Heart defects – Present at birth and can vary from mild to severe and life-threatening
• GI tract problems
• Immune disorders
• Sleep apnea
• Obesity
• Spinal problems
• Higher risk of leukemia than other children
• Dementia – There is a significant risk of developing dementia starting around age 50.
• Hearing problems and frequent ear infections

How is Down syndrome diagnosed?

Down syndrome is usually suspected at birth by the presence of the typical physical features. A chromosomal analysis is done to confirm the diagnosis using a sample of the baby's blood.

Prenatal testing is also available. Find out more by following this link: National Association for Down Syndrome | Prenatal Testing and Diagnosis (nads.org)

How is Down syndrome treated?

Down syndrome is a lifelong condition that cannot be cured. Treatment is focused on each individual's specific health problems and developmental and mental challenges. Services early in life can help babies and children with Down syndrome to improve their physical and intellectual abilities. They focus on helping children develop to their full potential. These services include:

• Speech therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy
• Extra help or attention in school, although many children are included in regular classes

If you have any questions about Down syndrome, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.

Dr. Anita Bennett MD - Health Tip Content Editor