HOME "SWEET" HOMEWOOD CELEBRATES 12TH ANNUAL CHOCOLATE FEST ON SATURDAY, FEB. 15

HOME "SWEET" HOMEWOOD CELEBRATES 12TH ANNUAL CHOCOLATE FEST ON SATURDAY, FEB. 15 Chocolate Fest Features Live Music, Kid Activities, Cooking Demos,  Bake-off Samples and Delicious Baked Goods

The Village of Homewood proudly presents the 12th Annual Chocolate Fest on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the H-F Park District Auditorium, 2010 Chestnut Road. Homewood Chocolate Fest features live music, baking demonstrations, children's activities, vendor booths and a variety of sweets, desserts and gourmet baked goods. Back by popular demand is the annual Chocolate Bake-Off Contest for amature bakers to compete for title of "Home Sweet Homewood's Master Pastry Chef". Admission to the 12th Annual Homewood Chocolate Fest is free and open to the public. For information visit www.HomeSweetHoemwoood.com. "This festival is a great way to get out and see neighbors and sample delicious treats in the middle of the winter," said Village Marketing Manager Rachael Jones. "This year we will feature one of the oldest Chicagoland confectioners in the area; Mitchell's Candies and Ice Cream as they unveil their new look and introduce their party packages. Homewood has been a destination for dessert for over 50 years, and our Chocolate Fest and Bake Off is a great showcase for the creative and talented cooks who live in the area." At Chocolate Fest, attendees will be treated to several baking demonstrations including introductions to The Cottage on Dixie's premier pastry chef. In addition, Mitchell's will be highlighted as they relaunch as Chicagoland's premier confectioner and supplier of all ice cream for Ed Debevics, Eduardo's and Gino East Pizza. The Community Relations Commission will host the Chocolate Bake-Off Contest. This is a spirited contest for amateur bakers and confectioners to compete for recognition as "Home Sweet Homewood's Master Pastry Chef". A panel of judges sample each entry and select three winners. Once the winners are recognized, the public samples each entry in exchange for a small donation to benefit a local not-for-profit. Homewood's 12th Annual Chocolate Fest is Saturday, February 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the H-F Park District Auditorium, 2010 Chestnut Road. For additional information visit  www.HomeSweetHomewood.com. #      #      # The 12th Annual Homewood Chocolate Fest is sponsored by the Village of Homewood.

RED KITE, BROWN BOX, CHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE'S NEW SHOW FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

RED KITE, BROWN BOX, CHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE'S NEW SHOW FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, TO DEBUT  FEB. 14-MAR. 1 AT CHICAGO'S MILLENNIUM PARK

Intimate, interactive live theater experience for children on the autism spectrum is latest project for CCT Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell, 

Winner, Autism Speaks "2013 Hero of the Year" Award

Photo provided by Chicago Children's Theatre

What child doesn't love playing with brown cardboard moving boxes? They're perfect for climbing and hiding inside, and they can morph into magical forts, homes, vehicles, even robots. With a little creativity, the possibilities are endless. 

Now imagine a live theatre experience in which actors gently guide children on an interactive journey into a home filled with empty cardboard boxes, just waiting to be explored and ready to reveal delightful treasures inside. Such a play would be magical for any child. But for children on the autism spectrum and their families, the arrival of Chicago Children's Theatre's Red Kite, Brown Box is particularly exciting news.

Red Kite, Brown Box is the newest, one-of-a-kind live theatrical experience created for children with autism by Chicago Children's Theatre Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell, recipient of the 2013 "Hero of the Year Award" from the Chicago chapter of Autism Speaks. 

Performances are Feb. 14-Mar. 1, 2014 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion Choral Rehearsal Room in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Show times are Fri., Feb. 14 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.; Sun., Feb. 16 at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Thurs. and Fri., Feb 20 and 21 at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.; Sat. and Sun., Feb. 22 and 23 at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Thurs. and Fri., Feb. 27 and 28 at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., and Sat. Mar. 1 at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.Tickets are $20 per child, includes one caregiver, with additional observation seats at $10 each. Red Kite, Brown Box is appropriate for children ages 5 to 14. For more information or to reserve tickets, contact David Amaral at 773.227.0180 ext. 15, damaral@chicagochildrenstheatre.org or visittheredkiteproject.org.

Fewer Infants, Toddlers Harmed by Cough and Cold Medications Since Withdrawal of Infant Products and Label Changes

Fewer Infants, Toddlers Harmed by Cough and Cold Medications Since Withdrawal of Infant Products and Label Changes 

By The American Academy of Pediatrics

In October 2007, manufacturers voluntarily withdrew over-the-counter infant cough and cold medications from the U.S. market. A year later, manufacturers announced labels would be revised to warn against use by children under age 4. A study in the December 2013 Pediatrics tracks whether emergency visits for young children for drug ingestions changed as a result. The study, “Cough and Cold Medication Adverse Events After Market Withdrawal and Labeling Revision,” published online Nov. 11, found that among children under age 2 and between ages 2 and 3 years, emergency department visits for cough and cold medication adverse drug events declined nationally. Before the withdrawal of the infant cough and cold medications, children under age 2 accounted for 4.1 percent of all emergency visits for adverse drug events. After the market withdrawal, they represented 2.4 percent of such visits. Among children ages 2 to 3, emergency visits for adverse drug events decreased from 9.5 percent of all adverse drug visits, to 6.5 percent following the label change.  During this time, unsupervised ingestions caused the most adverse drug events by young children. According to the study authors, reducing adverse drug events further will require preventing unsupervised ingestions, perhaps through improved packaging and promotion of safe storage practices.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.