Top Halloween Safety Tips for a Fun and Spooky Night: Keep Your Little Ghouls Safe
Halloween is an exciting time for children and parents alike—a night filled with costumes, candy, and spooky adventures. As we enter Halloween week, it’s essential to ensure that the festivities remain safe and enjoyable for everyone. At My Kids Pediatrics Clinic, with locations in Hot Springs, Malvern, Arkadelphia, and Hot Springs Village, we are committed to the health and safety of your children. Remember, we see children at all our clinic locations, and our pediatric experts are here to provide you with practical Halloween safety tips that go beyond the obvious.
1. Choose Safe and Comfortable Costumes
Selecting the right costume is crucial for a safe Halloween night:
- Opt for Flame-Resistant Materials: Choose costumes made from flame-resistant fabrics to reduce fire hazards near open flames like candles and jack-o’-lanterns.
- Ensure Proper Fit: Ill-fitting costumes can cause trips and falls. Make sure costumes and shoes fit well and are comfortable for walking.
- Avoid Obstructive Masks: Masks can limit vision and breathing. Use non-toxic face paint or makeup instead.
- Test Makeup First: Apply a small amount on your child’s skin beforehand to check for allergic reactions.
2. Enhance Visibility in the Dark
Visibility is key to keeping your child safe after dusk:
- Add Reflective Elements: Attach reflective tape or stickers to costumes and treat bags to make your child more visible to drivers.
- Carry Light Sources: Equip your child with a flashlight or glow sticks to illuminate their path and make them more noticeable.
- Choose Bright Colors: If possible, select costumes in lighter or brighter colors.
3. Safe Trick-or-Treating Practices
Ensure your child knows how to navigate the neighborhood safely:
- Plan a Route in Advance: Stick to well-lit, familiar areas and establish a route beforehand.
- Adult Supervision: Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult. Older kids should travel in groups and have a set curfew.
- Obey Traffic Rules: Cross streets at corners using traffic signals and crosswalks. Teach children to look both ways before crossing.
- Stay on Sidewalks: Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
4. Inspect Treats Before Indulging
Not all treats are safe:
- Examine All Candy: Check for signs of tampering, such as unusual appearance, discoloration, or tiny holes in wrappers.
- Be Allergy Aware: Remove any treats that may contain allergens if your child has food allergies.
- Homemade Treat Caution: Discard homemade treats unless you know the person who provided them.
5. Home Safety for Trick-or-Treaters
If you’re welcoming trick-or-treaters to your home:
- Clear Pathways: Remove obstacles like garden hoses, toys, or decorations that could cause trips.
- Provide Ample Lighting: Ensure your home’s exterior is well-lit to prevent accidents.
- Secure Pets: Keep pets restrained to prevent them from jumping on or biting visitors.
- Use Safe Decorations: Opt for battery-operated candles instead of real flames in pumpkins.
6. Stay Mindful of Health Precautions
Keep health considerations in mind:
- Practice Good Hygiene: Encourage handwashing or use of hand sanitizers before consuming treats.
- Stay Home if Unwell: If your child is feeling sick, it’s best to skip the festivities to protect others.
- Avoid Crowded Places: Try to maintain social distancing where possible.
7. Emergency Preparedness
Prepare for unexpected situations:
- Identification: Have your child carry identification with your contact information.
- Establish Check-In Times: If your child is old enough to go out without you, set specific times to check in.
- Teach Stranger Safety: Remind your child not to enter homes or cars of strangers.
8. Open Communication
Ensure your child feels comfortable communicating:
- Discuss Expectations: Talk about safety rules and expectations before heading out.
- Encourage Questions: Let your child know they can ask questions if they’re unsure about something.
Convenient Pediatric Care When You Need It
At My Kids Pediatrics Clinic, your child’s health and safety are our top priorities. We accept Medicaid, ARKids First, and are in-network with most health insurance plans. We also offer a sliding-fee scale to accommodate all families. While we love when parents make appointments, you can also walk in, and we’ll work you in as quickly as possible. Most of our clinics are open from 7:45 am to 6 pm, providing convenient before- and after-school appointment times.
Our dedicated pediatric team is here for you:
- Dr. Jeremy Porter (Hot Springs)
- Dr. Tracy Rowe (Hot Springs, Arkadelphia, Malvern)
- Melanie Newman, APRN (Hot Springs)
- Matt York, APRN (Hot Springs)
- Matthew Huskey, APRN (Hot Springs Village)
Remember, we see children at all our clinic locations, and we’re committed to providing comprehensive care for your family.
Wishing You a Safe and Happy Halloween!
By following these practical tips, you can ensure that Halloween is a fun, memorable, and safe experience for your children. If you have any concerns or need medical advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at 888-710-8220 or visit our website at www.mykidspediatric.com.
Dr. Leslie Ward Named Best Medical/Family Doctor in The Courier’s Best of the Best 2024 Awards
Healthy Connections is thrilled to announce that Dr. Leslie Ward has been named Best Medical/Family Doctor in The Courier’s Best of the Best 2024 Awards. This prestigious award highlights Dr. Ward’s dedication to providing exceptional care to patients across the River Valley.
Dr. Ward sees patients at Healthy Connections clinics in Russellville, Hot Springs (Central), and Mount Ida. As a board-certified family medicine physician, she offers a comprehensive range of services, including primary care, wellness visits, and HIV care. She is deeply committed to treating her patients with compassion and care. “I treat all patients like I would want to be treated as a patient,” said Dr. Ward. Her patient-focused philosophy is at the core of her practice, ensuring individualized care for everyone she treats.
Dr. Ward has been passionate about becoming a physician since childhood. “I have wanted to be a physician since I was 11 years old, from my own medical experiences,” she shared. Born and raised in Arkansas, Dr. Ward pursued her education locally, attending Arkansas Tech University and earning her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. She completed two years of training in pediatrics at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and two years in family medicine at UAMS.
In addition to her extensive primary care services, Dr. Ward provides specialized care that sets her apart. “We do a few special things that a lot of primary care doctors do not do,” she explained. These include Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction and comprehensive HIV care, including PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for HIV prevention. “We have great resources for [opioid addiction treatment] because we do have access to behavioral health,” said Dr. Ward. She emphasized how important it is to her to provide care for patients with a history of addiction. Her ability to manage specialized care in these areas means patients no longer have to travel out of town to see a specialist.
“Dr. Ward’s recognition as Best Medical/Family Doctor reflects her commitment to excellence and improving the health of our communities,” said Tony Calandro, CEO of Healthy Connections, Inc. “Her compassion and expertise have made a lasting impact, and we are proud to have her on our team.”
The Healthy Connections Russellville clinic, located at 3312 West Main St., next to Walgreens, is open Monday through Thursday from 7:45 am to 6 pm. In addition to Dr. Ward, the clinic is home to Family Nurse Practitioner Kaylee Wolfe, APRN. The clinic provides a wide range of services, including primary care, physicals (including DOT exams), women’s health, bioidentical hormone treatments for men and women, HIV testing and treatment, and addiction treatment.
Patients looking to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ward or any of the other providers at Healthy Connections can call 888-710-8220.
For more information about Healthy Connections and the services provided, visit www.healthy-connections.org.
Leslie Collie, APRN, Now Serving Full-Time at Healthy Connections’ Haskell Clinic
We are excited to announce that Leslie Collie, APRN, is now seeing patients full-time at the Healthy Connections Haskell Clinic. Leslie brings over 20 years of nursing experience to the clinic, specializing in nursery, labor, and delivery, and is also an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
A Commitment to Comprehensive Care
Leslie’s career in healthcare began right out of high school when she became an LPN and later transitioned into nursing school, focusing on labor and delivery for 22 years. In 2019, she decided to advance her education further, earning her Nurse Practitioner certification in 2021. “I’ve always been passionate about making a difference in people’s lives through healthcare,” Leslie shared during a recent interview. “Joining Healthy Connections allows me to extend that impact to more individuals and families.”
Leslie is dedicated to offering comprehensive care to patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly. Her extensive background in labor and delivery has given her a unique perspective that informs her practice today, especially when working with women and families. “I really will use that background in my practice to help the women’s health group. I want that eventually to be my focus and to help those women in their teens and adult life,” she said.
Building Stronger Connections in Haskell
A native of Arkadelphia, Leslie has deep roots in the community and is committed to extending her healthcare services to residents in Haskell. While she initially joined Healthy Connections at the Arkadelphia and Malvern clinics, she is now excited to be full-time at the Haskell Clinic, where she continues her mission to provide accessible and compassionate care. “Healthy Connections, I think, will provide a wonderful opportunity for me to grow as a provider and as a person,” she said. “Their mission is great—to see people from infants all the way up to the elderly and take care of everything along the way.”
Leslie’s unique qualifications, including her certification as a lactation consultant, enhance her ability to support women’s health in the Haskell community. She is also a strong advocate for preventative health screenings and encourages patients to make time for routine exams such as cancer screenings, mammograms, and hypertension checkups. “I get it—everybody’s busy, but those screenings are so important,” she emphasized.
Supporting the Local Community
Leslie’s passion for community health is evident both inside and outside the clinic. As a family-oriented individual, Leslie enjoys spending time with her husband of 21 years and their two children. She looks forward to serving the Haskell community with the same dedication she has always brought to her work. “Healthy Connections is a place where we truly care for all walks of life, and I’m excited to be part of that,” Leslie added. “If you have any questions or if you have any problems, please give us a call and let us help you work through those.”
To schedule an appointment with Leslie Collie, APRN, or to learn more about the services offered at Healthy Connections Haskell Clinic, call 888-710-8220 or visit www.healthy-connections.org/haskell. The clinic is located at 2323 AR-229 Suite B, Haskell, AR 72015. We are proud to provide accessible, high-quality healthcare anchored by our core values of community, compassion, and excellence.
Protect your loved ones.
Get the flu shot.
Stay Healthy This Flu Season: Why You Should Get the 2024 Flu Vaccine
As the seasons change and cooler weather approaches, flu season is right around the corner. Protecting yourself and your loved ones from the flu is more important than ever. At Healthy Connections, we’re here to help you stay healthy with the 2024 flu vaccine, now available at all of our clinics.
Why Is the Flu Vaccine Important?
The flu is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can lead to serious complications, particularly for young children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with certain chronic health conditions. Each year, the flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths in the United States alone.
Getting vaccinated is the most effective way to protect yourself against the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine. The 2024-2025 flu vaccines have been specially designed to protect against three influenza viruses that are expected to be the most common this season.
The Benefits of the Flu Vaccine
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Prevention of Illness: The flu vaccine is your best defense against contracting the flu. It significantly reduces the risk of flu illness, which can keep you from missing work, school, and other important activities.
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Reduction in Severity: Even if you do contract the flu after vaccination, the vaccine has been shown to reduce the severity of the illness, making it less likely that you’ll need to be hospitalized.
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Protection of Vulnerable Populations: By getting vaccinated, you’re not just protecting yourself—you’re also helping to protect those around you who may be at higher risk of serious flu complications, such as infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
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Decrease in Healthcare Burden: Flu vaccines help to reduce the overall burden on the healthcare system by preventing hospitalizations and deaths due to flu-related complications. This is especially important during the ongoing challenges of healthcare capacity.
When Should You Get Vaccinated?
It’s best to get your flu vaccine in early fall before the flu begins spreading in your community. The vaccine takes about two weeks to become fully effective, so early vaccination ensures you’re protected when flu activity starts to increase.
Convenient Flu Vaccination Options at Healthy Connections
At Healthy Connections, we make it easy for you to get vaccinated. Flu shots are now available at all of our clinics. You can schedule a convenient appointment by calling 888-710-8220, with options available both before and after work. Or, if you prefer, you can simply walk in, and we’ll work you in as soon as possible.
The flu vaccine is available at no cost through most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B. Be sure to check with your health insurance provider to confirm coverage.
Get Vaccinated—Stay Healthy!
Don’t wait—take the important step of getting your flu vaccine today. It’s the most effective way to protect yourself and those you care about from the flu. For more information about the flu vaccine and to find a Healthy Connections clinic near you, visit https://healthy-connections.org/locations.
Remember, by getting vaccinated, you’re doing your part to help reduce the burden of flu illness in your community. Let’s work together to stay healthy this flu season!
Healthy Connections Earns Prestigious National Recognition with Four CHQR Badges and PCMH Status
Healthy Connections is proud to announce its recent recognition by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) with four Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges, as well as achieving the esteemed Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) status. These accolades underscore Healthy Connections’ commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible, and patient-focused care across Arkansas.
The CHQR badges recognize health centers that have made notable quality improvement achievements in the areas of access, quality, health equity, and health information technology based on the most recent Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting period. Healthy Connections has been awarded the following CHQR badges:
- Access Enhancer: Recognizes health centers that achieve Health Center Quality Leader or National Quality Leader recognition and demonstrate a 5% increase in total patients for consecutive years, including those receiving mental health, substance use disorder, vision, dental, or enabling services.
- Health Disparities Reducer: Awarded to health centers that, in addition to meeting the criteria for the Access Enhancer badge, demonstrate at least a 10% improvement in clinical quality measures for specific conditions such as low birth weight, hypertension control, and uncontrolled diabetes among one or more racial/ethnic groups while maintaining or improving overall clinical quality.
- Addressing Social Risk Factors: This badge is given to health centers that collect data on patient social risk factors and have increased the percentage of patients receiving enabling services over the last two UDS reporting years.
- Advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) for Quality: Recognizes health centers that have adopted an electronic health record (EHR) system, offered telehealth services, exchanged clinical information online with key providers, engaged patients through health IT, and collected data on patient social risk factors.
In addition to the CHQR badges, Healthy Connections has earned PCMH status, a model of care that places the patient at the center of the healthcare experience. This recognition emphasizes the importance of the relationship between patients and their care teams, which include physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, nutritionists, mental health professionals, and social workers. The PCMH model focuses on providing comprehensive care that meets the physical and mental health needs of patients while respecting their preferences, values, and cultural needs.
Tony Calandro, CEO of Healthy Connections, Inc., expressed his gratitude to the staff and the community for their roles in achieving these honors. “These recognitions are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. I want to personally thank each member of our staff for their commitment to excellence and for going above and beyond to ensure our patients receive the best care possible,” said Calandro. “We are also deeply grateful to our community for their unwavering support and trust in us. It is this partnership that drives us to continually improve and innovate in the delivery of healthcare.”
For more than 25 years, Healthy Connections has been a cornerstone of healthcare in Arkansas, providing medical, dental, and behavioral health services. The organization is committed to ensuring that every individual has access to quality healthcare, regardless of their background or financial situation. With the recent recognitions, Healthy Connections continues to lead the way in healthcare excellence.
For more information about Healthy Connections and its services, visit https://healthy-connections.org.
Healthy Connections Hot Springs Village Clinic Wins Big at The Village Voice Readers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards
We are proud to announce that the Healthy Connections Hot Springs Village Clinic has won in all four categories for which we were named a finalist at The Village Voice Readers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards. This recognition underscores the exceptional care and dedication our team provides to the Hot Springs Village community.
Award Wins Include:
- Man of the Year: Zachary Geiling APRN has been honored with the prestigious Man of the Year award, recognizing his significant contributions to the community.
- Best Medical Clinic: Our clinic has been recognized as the top medical clinic in the area, reflecting our commitment to delivering comprehensive, patient-centered healthcare.
- Best Physician/APRN: Zachary Geiling APRN, known for his expertise and compassionate care, has been named Best Physician/APRN for the second consecutive year.
- Best Nurse: Katie Brewer, whose dedication and professionalism have deeply impacted our patients, has won the Best Nurse award.
Tony Calandro, CEO of Healthy Connections, expressed his pride in the team’s achievements: “Winning these awards is a true reflection of the hard work, dedication, and passion that our team at the Hot Springs Village Clinic brings to their patients every day. Zachary, Katie, and the entire team have made an extraordinary impact on the community, and these awards are well-deserved. We are committed to continuing to provide the highest quality of care to the residents of Hot Springs Village.”
Clinic Information: The Hot Springs Village Clinic is conveniently open Monday through Friday from 7:45 am to 6:00 pm, offering extended hours to better serve our patients. Our team of dedicated providers includes Zachary Geiling APRN, Matthew Huskey APRN, and Dr. Pittman Moore, OBGYN. We offer a wide range of services, including primary care, women’s health, HIV treatment, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), sick visits, wellness visits, physicals (DOT, school, and sports), and more.
We accept Medicaid, ArKids 1st, Medicare, and most major insurance plans. Additionally, we offer a sliding-fee scale for patients without insurance who qualify, ensuring that high-quality healthcare is accessible to all members of our community.
About Healthy Connections: Healthy Connections has been providing exceptional medical, dental, and behavioral health services across Arkansas for over 25 years. Our Hot Springs Village Clinic is a proud part of this tradition, dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of our community with excellence, compassion, and a commitment to patient-centered care.
We congratulate Zachary Geiling APRN, Katie Brewer, and the entire team at Hot Springs Village Clinic on their outstanding achievements and thank them for their unwavering dedication to providing exceptional care. We look forward to continuing our mission of enhancing the health and well-being of the Hot Springs Village community.
