Emergency rooms treated 251, 800 toy related injuries in 2015, and 44 percent of these injuries were to the head and face area. Nearly 85,000 injuries involved children under the age of five. Reduce risk of injury by avoiding toys that shoot or have parts that fly off. Consider not only whether a toy is right for a child's age prior to purchase, but also whether there is a risk of injury if a smaller child get his or her hands on it. Avoid purchasing toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes,…

Stigma causes many people to hide their domestic violence victimization. It also causes others to remain silent in order to protect the victim, even if they are in the best position to help. Helping a domestic abuse victim starts with acknowledgement - saying that you sense something is wrong, and what you believe it might be. Victims of domestic violence often struggle other problems like parenting issues, money problems, anxiety, fear, job security, and health concerns. A nonjudgmental,…

Beware of income tax scams. Here is one: The caller claims to represent the IRS and knows your name, phone number, street address, and possibly the last four digits of your Social Security number. The grief gives you his or her name and employee ID, and a "case number." (Fact: Real IRS officials also identify themselves this way.) The caller says your income taxes from three years ago are in error. A warrant for your arrest has been issued. You are then asked to pay the overdue amount wire…

The heroin epidemic in North America has received much attention, but overdose deaths from prescription sedative drugs (benzodiazepines, or benzos) like Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin has also soared. Benzos are prescribed for anxiety, mood disorders, and insomnia - common complaints among employees. Research in the American Journal of Public Health reports overdose deaths are up to 400 percent since 1996. A key finding: 75 percent of heroin death also involve these medications. Combining benzos…

Adderall is a stimulant (amphetamine) used primarily to treat attention to deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A 2016 report from John Hopkins University shows a continual increase in Adderall abuse by young people (ages 18 to 25) despite a decrease in the total number of prescriptions nationwide. Abuse of Adderall typically originates with medication being stolen or illicitly given to others. Although Adderall is rarely addictive for those who legitimately use it with a prescription, its…