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2 Parenting, Tuesday, October 25, 2011 Halloween means it's candy season and with the temptation to indulge being everywhere, whether you're a child or an adult, it can be difficult to properly manage your family`s sugar intake. However, there are fun ways to help moderate your kids (and your own) candy intake during this ghostly time of year. Just try to take the focus away from sugar. The Mayo Clinic encourages you to use these creative ideas for a healthier Halloween: · Make a trade--allow your kids to swap candy for a special toy, game or family movie night. · Opt for non-food goodies--hand out Halloween pencils, erasers and spider rings. · Hand out healthier treats--try 100 per cent juice boxes or sugarfree bubble gum. · Share the wealth--there are lots of opportunities for kids to collect money for charity or canned goods for a local food pantry. · Make it fun--focus on activities such as creating costumes, making decorations, carving pumpkins, throwing parties and spending time with family, friends and neighbours. And don't forget these quick tips for a safe Halloween: · The brighter the better. Whether you buy a costume or make one Make it a healthy Halloween Kids' colds common at this time of year Whether it's at daycare or school-- children are consistently in contact with many germs, leaving them highly susceptible to illness. The number of colds per child can be as high as five to eight per year. Children have also been shown to encounter the highest number of flu cases, accounting for 24 per cent of type A influenza cases and 17 per cent of type B cases, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Despite the common occurrence of these illnesses and no matter how many times your child gets sick, each case can be just as stressful as the last. Identifying whether your child has a cold or the flu can be tough, as symptoms can be similar. The common cold is a mild infection of the respiratory passages that often leads to runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes. The symptoms of the flu are typically more severe than a cold, and affect the entire body. Symptoms of the flu may include: chills, fever, body pain and headaches. Finding effective and safe treatments can also be a challenge for parents. With Health Canada's restrictions on the use of cough and cold medicines for children under the age of six, parents are often unsure of how they can help their child battle cold and flu. Some natural health products, such as Coryzalia, Stodal and Oscillococcinum from Boiron Canada, have been approved by Health Canada and may be used for the treatment of coughs and colds in children and help relieve their symptoms with no known side effects. A little extra TLC, warm baths, extra rest and consumption of clear fluids will also help your child on the road to recovery. Used together, Health Canada-approved medicines and home remedies can help your child effectively tackle their symptoms, having them back to good health in no time. --www.newscanada.com yourself, choose bright colours and flame-retardant materials. If your child will be trick-or-treating outdoors after dark, attach reflective tape to his or her costume. · Size it right. In case it's chilly outdoors, make sure your child's costume is loose enough for warm clothing to be worn underneath--but not long enough to cause tripping. Avoid oversized shoes and high heels. · Skip the masks. A mask can obstruct your child's vision, especially if it slips out of place. Use kid-friendly makeup instead. · Limit accessories. Pointed props--such as wands, swords and knives--may pose safety hazards. More health-related information is available online at www.mayoclinic.org/canada. --www.newscanada.com Waterproof, Ultra Robust, Unlimited Enjoyment Pool. Shower. Pouring rain. Nothing stops you with AquarisTM. The first truly waterproof hearing instrument from Siemens. Its durable housing protects the revolutionary BestSoundTM Technology, giving a crystal clear hearing experience. At The Georgetown Hearing Clinic, we are committed to your individual hearing needs. Find out how we can help. The GEORGETOWN HEARING CLINIC 99 Sinclair Avenue, Suite 210 905-873-6642 On-Site Audiologist · Repairs · Hearing Tests · Batteries · Home Service Available · Affordable Pricing · Custom Made Musician, Industrial & Swim Plugs · Hearing Aid Prescriptions and Fittings · ADP, WSIB, DVA Authorized Dispensary Cory Soal Hearing Inst. Practitioner Serving the community of Halton Hills and surrounding areas since 1992