Floridian: Healthline

Healthline

TIMES WIRE, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HAND THERAPISTS
Published October 18, 2005

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY of Hand Therapists urges people to use caution when pumpkin carving this Halloween. "Cuts, strains and inflammation of your tendons and muscles can result from pumpkin carving if you're not careful," said Stacey Doyon, vice president of the American Society of Hand Therapists. To prevent hand injuries, ASHT (www.asht.org) recommends these safety tips:

Lift your pumpkin carefully. Ask for help if your pumpkin is too heavy.

Make sure your pumpkin carving spot is well-lit, clean and dry.

Be sure to wash and carefully dry all of the tools that will be used as well as the cutting surface. Any moisture on your tools, surface or hands may cause a slip that can lead to a serious cut or injury.

Children must have adult supervision. It takes only a second for a severe injury to occur; leave the cutting and carving to adults.

Carve with care. When carving, cut away from yourself and cut in small, controlled strokes.

Use pumpkin carving kits. The kits include smaller, serrated pumpkin saws that often work better for carving because they are less likely to get stuck in the thick pumpkin skin.

GET WRAPPED UP in cancer awareness with Ford Motor Co.'s "Tied to the Cause" initiative. Fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer has created a silk scarf exclusively for the company. Available for $35 through the end of the year, net proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a breast cancer research and education organization. To order, visit www.fordcares.com www.lillypulitzer.com or www.komen.org or call toll free 1-877-745-7467.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE GOT a new job in a new city, or your company has transferred you to a different office. Quick: How do you find quality child care quickly?

Here are a few shortcuts to make the search less stressful:

- Seek recommendations from other parents of infants and toddlers. They either have first-hand knowledge of quality child care centers and preschools or they have friends who are happy with their child care options. Make a list of popular centers and schools with phone numbers to call for preliminary information.

- Go to the Web site of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The site, www.naeyc.org allows you to search for accredited centers by ZIP code.

- Many states offer a searchable online child care database.

LIFESTYLE FAMILY Fitness locations in the bay area will host a free "Active Aging Health Expo" for seniors starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday. There will be wellness screenings, educational seminars, low-impact fitness workshops, free giveaways and refreshments. For the location nearest you, call toll-free 1-800-543-3783 or visit www.lff.com