October 2023

Vol. 2, Issue 9 

How did we get to October already? With cooler, fall weather on the horizon, we can all agree this is the beginning of a beautiful time of year in Alabama. Half of the school year will be over before you know it. We look forward to seeing some of you at our remaining virtual school nurse spotlights this fall. We appreciate all of your hard work, and the care and kindness you provide to your students every day. At Children's of Alabama, we consider it a real treat to partner with the school nurses in our state. 

The Monthly Spotlight

Halloween Safety

No matter what is their costume of choice, kids love the magic of Halloween, but we as caregivers must do our part to ensure their safety. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year.1 Lack of visibility is one factor that plays into this, as children often trick-or-treat at night, typically between 5:30-9:30 p.m.1,2 There are several steps we can take to help keep our kids safe while they enjoy the festivities of a fun-filled night. To make sure children can be seen by drivers, have them carry glow sticks or flashlights, or wear reflective bracelets or stickers. Teach children to only walk on sidewalks or paths, and to make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street. As drivers, we must also take extra time to look for children crossing the street, especially in residential neighborhoods. Since the kids are focused on the fun of Halloween, it is up to the adults to remain vigilant about safety.


1. Safe Kids Worldwide - Halloween

2. National Safety Council - Seasonal Safety

Halloween Safety Tips

Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week is the nation's longest running drug-use prevention campaign, and is celebrated every year from October 23 - October 31.1 Schools, communities, and other organizations across the nation unite during Red Ribbon Week to promote the importance of living a drug free life. A national contest is held each year to determine the upcoming theme, and this year's theme is “Be Kind To Your Mind. Live Drug Free.™” No matter what activities your school has planned, we can all do our part by making positive choices to be happy and healthy - that is what being kind to our mind is all about.2


  1. Red Ribbon Week
  2. Red Ribbon Theme
Click here to register for our school nurse spotlights

If you have any questions concerning school nurse workshops or any other school nurse resources available at Children's of Alabama, please reach out to our School Nurse Liaison, Ginger Parsons, via telephone at (205) 638-6287 or email at ginger.parsons@childrensal.org

Did you know...

  • The Insulin Pump Therapy and Diabetes in the School Setting videos are now available on our website. Stay tuned for the full length recordings of the remaining sessions soon!
  • The slides from each of this summer's workshops are also available on our website.
  • Our website houses numerous free resources you can access at any time, including full recordings of previous school nurse workshops.
Visit our website for more info

Think First Alabama is part of a National Injury Prevention Foundation dedicated to preventing brain, spinal cord and other traumatic injuries. This program is available to your school FREE of charge, and is designed to provide age appropriate injury prevention education for children of all ages.


For more information, or to schedule a session at your school, you can reach out to Julie Farmer via telephone at 205- 638-2729 or email at julie.farmer@childrensal.org

October 15-21 is National Teen Driver Safety Week. This is a time dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers teens face on the road. Children's of Alabama partners with multiple state agencies to provide FREE teen driving safety summits to schools throughout Alabama. It's not too late to join us this fall at the location nearest you:


November 8: Trussville

November 30: Oxford


Need help educating your students and parents?

Check out KidsHealth


  • Printable resources with advice on children's health, behavior, and growth from before birth through the teenage years
  • Information on a variety of topics including how the body works, homework help, and more
  • Approved by doctors, and has separate sections written specifically for parents, teens, and kids


If you have any suggestions on future content you would like to see featured in our newsletter, please reach out to us via email at healthedu.safety@childrensal.org.

podcastlogo.png

Inside Pediatrics 


Inside Pediatrics is a free monthly podcast series featuring specialists at Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Episodes cover topics related to child health and wellness, research and treatment, and frequently complement articles appearing in Inside Pediatrics magazine.

Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  YouTube