You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2661 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Managing Kids And Colds (NAPSA)—According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), children typically catch six to eight colds each year. While there is no cure for this seasonal illness, there are several things parents can do to boost their child’s immunity. First, it’s important to encourage children to get plenty of sleep, stay well hydrated and eat a diet rich in nutritious foods. Good hygiene can reduce the spread of germs, particularly in a school setting where children share many common items. It’s important to teach kids to wash their hands the right way, scrubbing them all over with soap for at least 20 seconds and drying them with a clean paper towel. Children should also be encouraged not to share eating or drinking utensils or to put objects in their mouths. To help reduce the spread of cold and flu viruses, children should learn to sneeze and cough into the back of their hand or their elbow crease. To keep nasal passages clear, have children blow their noses gently but often and use a humidifier at home to keep the air moist. Sore throats can be soothed with warm drinks, while older children can gargle with a mild saline solution. Always check with a doctor if a child’s sore throat is severe or if symptoms indicate a serious illness. Following a statement by the FDA discouraging the use of cough and cold medicine in children under 2 years of age, many You can protect your youngster from colds and the flu. parents prefer to use safe and effective homeopathic medicines. Unlike conventional over-thecounter cold and cough medicines that suppress symptoms, homeopathic medicines work with the body’s own natural defenses to relieve the symptoms of seasonal illness. Homeopathic medicines are safe even for very young children: Hyland’s Baby Tiny Cold Tablets and Hyland’s Baby Cough Syrup are specially formulated for infants 6 months and up. These statements are based on traditional homeopathic practice. They have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration. Visit www.hylands.com and www.hylandsbaby.com for more information about natural medicine. Hyland’s products are available nationally in natural food stores, groceries, supercenters and pharmacies such as Walgreens. Getting The Right Price When You Sell Your Car (NAPSA)—Selling your car yourself may be easier—and more financially rewarding—than you realize. Here are some tips: Setting the right price for your car is key. Set it too high, you waste time—too low and you lose money. •Come Clean. Start by throwing away all trash and removing all personal items from the vehicle. Some believe that having the car detailed before you list it is an investment that can pay off at sale time. •Check it Out. Have a trusted mechanic inspect your car. The mechanic’s analysis and feedback can help you develop a negotiating strategy, particularly if there are parts of the car in need of repair. •The Right Price. Setting the right price for your car is key. Set it too high and you waste time— too low and you lose money. Fortunately, you can refer to the Kelly Blue Book to determine the car’s value. Sellers can also purchase the Carfax “Unlimited For Sale By Owner” package. It provides interested buyers with the detailed Carfax history of your vehicle. To learn more, visit www.car fax.com. Bright Ideas For Home Security (NAPSA)—This holiday season, you can give yourself and your family the gift of a more secure home. Consider this: Across the U.S., on average, more than 400,000 burglaries will occur during the holidays, according to the FBI. What’s more, the holidays are among the busiest times of the year for home invasions. Burglars are more likely to target homes because there may be high-priced gifts inside that are unattended for a long time. Fortunately, most break-ins can be prevented with a successful home security strategy that involves several layers of protection, from having a trusted person bring in mail and newspapers, to controlling lighting or installing home automation systems for added security. To help you prep for a safe and secure holiday season, Lutron Electronics, a leading manufacturer of lighting controls and home control systems, offers these helpful security tips: 1. Connect lights to timers to give the illusion of activity Dark, empty, single-family homes are targeted more often than those with bright interiors and exteriors or with people in close proximity. To give the illusion of activity around the house, many homeowners use light timers. Timers can easily be installed on lamps (most just plug in) and are an inexpensive, DIY solution. Set two or three light timers on different floors to turn on at varying times around dusk and off at bedtime. 2. Turn lights on from the car and always enter a lit home Wireless controls allow lights to be turned on with a remote, up to 100 feet away from home— excellent for turning lights on from the car, so you don’t have to enter a dark home. For example, the Maestro Wireless dimmer with Pico wireless control is an inexpensive, remote solution that You never have to walk into a dark house again. An enhanced, more secure home environment is now just a button press away. replaces any light switch. It can be installed in foyers and mudrooms or used with outdoor, hardwired lights that line walkways and driveways. This remote-control solution ensures you’ll always enter a well-lit home for added peace of mind. 3. Integrate security and home automation systems Connect your home automation system to your home security system to control lights, shades and temperature from your security keypad or mobile device—great for travelers. For example, the RadioRA 2 total home control system lets homeowners press a button on the way out the door to ensure all lights are turned off and all window shades have been lowered. Likewise, if you are heading home in the dark, you can turn on your lights and raise your shades through a smartphone application. An added benefit is you can link it to a security system so if the alarm is tripped, the lights automatically go on to full bright or flash and shades are raised, to draw attention to the house. If you take these home security precautions, your home is less likely to be targeted during the busy holiday season and year round. For more information on lighting control options that best fit your home and lifestyle, visit www.lutron.com.
