Halloween is the time of year I insist on two rules – be creative and be safe. The kids and I start exploring different ideas in August. We talk about what they dressed up as in past years and what they are really into this year. Then, we have a reality check and focus on what we can make without sewing.

This year, my son is completely wrapped around “Star Wars: the Clone Wars” and begged to be Captain Rex. I know my creative limitations and his expectations, so despite my rules, we agreed to buy a costume. My daughter was actively involved in making her witch costume. She glued the yarn (hair) onto the hat, and cut and glued pieces of tulle for her skirt.

We thought we were ready, but then realized we forgot the second rule, safety. My son’s costume came with a helmet that he couldn’t see out of very well. We cut the eye openings bigger so now he can see – and breathe – better. While telling my co-workers about my daughter’s costume, I realized hers is too dark. She and I talked about how we can make her more visible when trick-or-treating. Let’s face it: Witches don’t have reflective stripes on the back of their costumes. But, they can carry flashlights to help them “fly” in the dark!

My husband also considered safety when choosing the goodies we’ll pass out. We certainly want to sure we’re not passing out choking hazards to the little ones that show up on our doorstep. While walking through a craft store, he spotted some temporary tattoos and thought those would work great for the younger kids.

So, with a little help from the whole family, I think we’ve followed our rules and we’ll have another safe and happy Halloween! To help ensure your kids do the same, I also recommend following these tips:

For kids
•    Make sure drivers can see costumes in the dark. Be original with a glow-in-the-dark costume or a reflective trick-or-treat bag. Children should use a flashlight or glow stick when walking at night.
•    Trick-or-treat in a group, not alone. Kids younger than 13 should go with an adult. Older kids always should go with buddies and follow a preplanned route.
•    Remind kids to cross streets at crosswalks and intersections, stop at street corners, look left, right and left again before crossing. They should not cross between parked cars or step into the street without looking to see if a vehicle is coming.

For motorists
Be extra alert for trick-or-treaters.
•    Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are during the typical rush-hour period, between 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
•    Drive slowly — expect a lot of pedestrian traffic.
•    Drive with your full headlights on so you can spot children from greater distances.

Treats
•    Check kids’ treats before they eat them. Tell kids to pick only wrapped candy when they trick-or-treat.

Costumes
•    Make sure costumes fit properly. Costumes should be large enough to allow warm clothes underneath, but short enough to prevent tripping. Do not allow children to wear adult shoes or boots.
•    For the little superheros, be sure to fasten capes with Velcro® that easily pulls apart. Never tie capes or other costume pieces around a child’s neck.
•    Also, close and lock windows so children do not attempt to open and jump from them; explain the difference between what people do on television or movies and what they can do in real life.
•    Use facial paints and cosmetics in place of masks. If a mask is used, make certain the eye and nose openings do not restrict vision or breathing. Children should remove masks in between trick-or-treating stops.

Other
•    Children should trick-or-treat only during your community’s predetermined hours.
•    Kids should only visit homes of people they know and only to accept treats at the door.

For more information about pedestrian safety, go to safekidswi.org.

Bridget Clementi is the executive director of Children’s Health Education Center.

October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month

Having a healthy baby means making sure you’re healthy, too. One of the most important things a woman can do to prevent serious birth defects is to get enough folic acid. It’s important to take folic acid before you get pregnant and during early pregnancy. Studies show women who get at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid before and during pregnancy reduce the risk of having a baby with neural tube defects (serious birth defects involving the incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70 percent. These defects happen during the first 28 days of pregnancy, usually before a woman even knows she’s pregnant. Only half of all pregnancies are planned – so any woman who could become pregnant should make sure she is taking enough folic acid every day.

What is folic acid? How much do you need?

Folic acid is a water soluble B vitamin found in green vegetables like spinach and asparagus as well as in orange juice and enriched cereals and breads. Water soluble means it does not stay in your body for very long, so it needs to be taken every day. For most women, eating the right foods isn’t enough. To get the recommended level, you probably need to take a vitamin.

During pregnancy you require more of all the vitamins and nutrients than you did before you became pregnant. Most nonprescription prenatal vitamins contain 500 to 800 mcg of folic acid. A prenatal vitamin shouldn’t replace eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, but it does ensure you’re getting the recommended amount of folic acid every day.

If you’ve already had a pregnancy that was affected by a neural tube defect, make sure you talk about it with your health care provider. You may need to increase your daily intake of folic acid before getting pregnant again to lower your risk of having another baby with the same defect.

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin has a long history of caring for children with neural tube defects. There are programs available for your child with Spina Bifida and other special needs. For more information on these programs, visit chw.org.

Deb Walbergh, RN, BSN, is a graduate student in Nursing in the Spina Bifida Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.

I’ve always wanted to use my skills to make a difference in the lives of children. But as a marketing and journalism student, I didn’t know how to apply my skills in a meaningful way. Luckily, while searching for summer internships, I found an opportunity to volunteer at Children’s Hospital and Health System Foundation.

At the foundation, I helped write and produce programs, reports, brochures, newsletters and other communication for donors and supporters. All of my work …Continue reading this post

As parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, we have many interactions and experiences with children. Hopefully, our time includes more good memories than bad. As parents, we unfortunately had a very bad experience occur with our youngest daughter, Kelly, who was diagnosed with bone cancer and passed away at age 11. During her short life, she was the one who taught us about understanding, respect, compassion and acceptance for others.

 It was not until after her passing that we learned about some of the problems she encountered with classmates and friends in school and after school. Those issues were a result of her classmates’ fear, lack of knowledge and skills about how to address their concerns. Today, we call this behavior bullying and it has become a big problem for our children. As adults, if we think back throughout our lives, each and every one of us has experienced these terrible actions or has seen it occur.

After Kelly’s passing, we found a story that she had written about a zebra that had spots, not stripes. This little zebra was treated differently because she was perceived as being different based on her outward appearance. We assume that Kelly was writing about herself and her experiences.

 Children’s Health Education Center and Children’s Hospital and Health System partnered with the Zink the Zebra Foundation to create Act Now!, an online education based program to help middle school age children learn to:

• Recognize when bullying is occurring.
• Provide information on what children can do to cope with and be supportive to others who are being bullied.
• Share this information about what to do in a bullying situation with their peers.

This program uses today’s electronic technology – games, computers and cell phones – the technology our children and grandchildren use every day (and that leaves me far back in the dust), as well as in classroom discussions among their peers.

You can read about bullying incidents in the newspaper, see stories on TV and talk to your own children about their experiences. These are not isolated situations. It occurs everywhere, every day, from the inner city to the suburbs and the countryside.

Our children need your help. They need you to be part of the process to teach bullying awareness, help them understand there are things they can do to stop this behavior and that it is a team effort. Act Now! is a unique program that empowers each child working with their peers to learn skills that can make our schools safer and enjoyable, alleviate bullying and cyber bullying and help our children become compassionate, respectful, understanding and accepting of others. For all the countless Kellys that are out there today, I’m happy to communicate with anyone, anywhere about this topic. Feel free to contact me at Zink the Zebra Foundation, or visit BlueKids.org to learn more about Act Now!.

Les Weil is the founder of the Zink the Zebra Foundation, an organization that was created based on a short story his 11-year-old daughter Kelly wrote before her death from cancer in 1993. The Zink the Zebra Foundation created character education programs that help educate children to better understand, respect, accept and be compassionate towards people who may be perceived as different. In an effort to reach more children, the Zink the Zebra Foundation partnered with Children’s Health Education Center to develop Act Now!.

The autumn months bring pumpkin picking and lots of other fun family activities, but also an increase in illnesses and visits to the doctor. As a doctor and a dad, I know the importance of making the most of every trip to the pediatrician’s office. Here are a few of my favorite tips for making the most of your child’s visit to the doctor.

Offer information:

• Tell your doctor about any change in your family’s health history. Cases of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer are examples of things your doctor should know.
• Tell the doctor if someone else has seen your child for an illness or injury, such as emergency room or urgent care visits or a specialist.
• Bring a list of all the medications your child is taking. This should include over-the-counter medications, vitamins and herbal supplements, as well as prescription medication.
• If your child is sick, write down when the symptoms began and what the symptoms are. This is even more important if your child has a chronic or long-standing illness.

The more detail you can offer your child’s doctor, the better he or she will be able to diagnose and treat your child.

Ask questions. At regular check-ups:

• Ask what you might need to know about caring for your child between this visit and the next one. Make sure you know when the next visit should take place.
• Ask what changes your child might go through before your next visit such as growth, development and feeding stages. Your doctor can provide helpful nutritional and safety advice no matter your child’s age.
• Ask where else you can get good information on parenting, safety and other related topics, such as Internet sites, books and magazines.
• Ask if your child’s immunizations are up to date. If they are not, make a plan to get your child caught up. Getting your child immunized is one of the most important ways to prevent illness and keep your child healthy.

It is helpful to come with questions written down so you don’t forget to ask them. Also, make sure you understand the answers your doctor gives you. Don’t be afraid to ask for more information. It’s our job to help explain things in simple language.

Unfortunately, you may need to wait to see your doctor. Ask front office staff if you can call before your visit to find out if things are running on time. Sometimes a little advanced planning can ease frustration and help visits run on time.

Most importantly, enjoy the time with your pediatrician. The two of you are talking about a most precious and wonderful gift – your child.

Michael Gutzeit, MD, is a pediatrician and chief medical officer at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin