With Halloween just around corner, the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy Health Education Center is providing information to make sure children have a safe and happy holiday.
The WVU Health Education Center will present Halloween and poison prevention information to the children of WVU Hospitals Child Development Center at 10 a.m. on Thursday (Oct. 22).
“Halloween is a time for fun,” fourth-year pharmacy student Carrie Sechler said. “The WVU Health Education Center wants to make sure that, in the excitement of trick-or-treating, children are safe and stay close to their parents or guardians to avoid any hazards.”
Sechler will speak with the children about visibility when trick-or-treating, having candy examined by a parent/guardian before eating it and potential household hazards at parties.
“Parents discuss poison prevention with their children and place hazardous items out of reach at home. But when their kids are in a different atmosphere, like someone else’s home, they should make sure their children know what is safe and what is not,” Sechler said.
Another topic that the Health Education Center will discuss with the children is medication safety.
“Children are curious,” Diana Vinh, Pharm.D., director of the WVU School of Pharmacy Health Education Center, said. “Medications are small and some are colorful like candy, so children need to be made aware that they should not eat anything without first asking a parent or guardian to ensure it is safe.”
The Health Education Center will also provide goodie bags with toys and games for the children and information about poison prevention for parents.
About the WVU School of Pharmacy
For almost 100 years, the WVU School of Pharmacy has been a leader in pharmacy education, research and patient care. It is one of only 12 pharmacy schools in the United States affiliated with a comprehensive academic health center. For information about the WVU School of Pharmacy, see www.hsc.wvu.edu/sop/.
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For More Information:
Amy Newton, School of Pharmacy, 304-293-7192
anewton@hsc.wvu.edu