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 #2682 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Helping To Make Baby’s Room Safe And Comfortable (NAPSA)—When there’s a little one on the way, certain small steps can make a big difference. Here are a few hints on helping to keep the nursery safe and secure from industry expert Sally Morse: The crib: See to the slats. They should all be there, spaced no more than 2/ 8 inches apart. The National Institutes of Health advises using a firm mattress in a safety-approved crib covered by a fitted sheet. Be sure that nothing covers the baby’s head and that the mattress support is securely attached to the headboard and footboard. Drop-sided cribs are no longer recommended. Toys: Keep them fun—and out of the crib. The American Academy of Pediatrics says nothing should go into the crib but the crib sheet and the baby. Toys should not have strings or cords that dangle or any parts small enough for a baby to swallow. High chair: Be sure it has restraining straps with buckles that are easy to fasten and unfasten independently of the tray, which should lock securely. The chair needs a wide base for stability. Playpen: Don’t mess with the mesh. Playpen mesh should be securely attached to the top rail and floor plate and have a small weave of less than 1⁄4 inch openings, with no tears or loose threads. The top rails should lock automatically when lifted for normal use. Changing table: Parents and babies tend to spend a lot of time here. It should have safety straps to prevent falls, and easily accessible drawers or shelves so you don’t have to leave the baby unattended. Windows: Any above the first floor need guards with quickrelease features for emergencies. Locks that limit the opening size let you get ventilation. Must-Sees For Pre-K Kids (NAPSA)—Good news for families with children under age 5: You can take advantage of off-peak travel perks before school lets out. For example, get a head start on Orlando’s must-see attractions and seasonal benefits this May, including: Window treatments shouldn’t have accessible cords that children can get entangled in. Here, these wood blinds feature a retractable cord lifting system. The windows should also provide a serene environment with soft incoming light. One way is with Silhouette window shadings or Duette honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas. These treatments have two fabric layers so light is filtered and diffused to eliminate harsh glare and shadows. The shades can also dim the light for daytime naps. They come in dozens of colors to coordinate with the wall color or the trim. Whatever window fashion you have, make sure it doesn’t have accessible cords that young children can get entangled in. Hunter Douglas has many options that eliminate lift cords or substantially reduce access to them. The company’s LiteRise cordless system is available with a wide variety of product styles. For more information, visit www.hunterdouglas.com/safety, call (800) 99SAFTY ( (800) 9972389) or find them on Facebook. • Hunter Douglas Inc., the leading manufacturer of custom window fashions in North America, is a national sponsor of Habitat for Humanity, covering windows in every Habitat home. Note to Editors: This has updated safety information and replaces the story “Pointers for Parents-to-be,” sent in Featurettes #2658 on October 9, 2012. The new DUPLO Valley at LEGOLAND Florida brings the preschool building toys to life. •The all-new daily Festival of Fantasy Parade in addition to New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park. •Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld Orlando brings kids face to face with a colony of penguins. •Seuss Landing at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, where the author’s books come to life. •Shamu’s Happy Harbor at SeaWorld Orlando, where adventure seekers can ride the kidfriendly Shamu Express coaster. •Universal’s Superstar Parade, which invites kids to sing and dance along with Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, as well as characters from the animated films “Hop” and “Despicable Me.” Recently named one of the 10 Best Budget Destinations for 2014 by Frommer ’s Budget Travel, Orlando is offering plenty of theme park deals found at Visit Orlando.com/May. A New Device Aids Hearing And Quality Of Life (NAPSA)—A tiny new device may make a big difference for the estimated 36 million Americans who live with some type of hearing loss. This same device may also prompt more baby boomers to join the digital world. This is hopeful news, since the stigma attached to hearing loss still keeps many people from addressing a condition that can cause them to withdraw from the people and activities they once enjoyed. Beltone First is the first hearing aid able to link directly to an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and represents what’s described as a revolutionary advance that could dramatically increase the number of people who take action to address their hearing loss. It’s hoped the device can allow patients to restore not only their hearing, but their quality of life as well. “Beltone First enables the hearing impaired to seamlessly integrate the features of their smartphones in a remarkably discreet package,” says Todd Murray, president of Beltone North America. According to Murray, users can leverage their iPhone to customize audio settings and stream audio directly to their hearing aid—without the need for an intermediary device, overcoming a common source of stigma among current and potential hearing aid users. An iPhone , iPad or iPod touch takes the place of that additional remote control, making it nearly impossible to distinguish a hearing aid wearer from anyone else. With a capability developed in collaboration with Apple, Beltone users are able to directly stream phone calls, music, movies, A new device has been introduced that can link a person’s hearing aid directly to an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. turn-by-turn navigation and more directly to their ears. The link is established through Bluetooth Smart technology, with the hearing aids functioning like wireless earbuds that are also high-quality hearing aids. Beltone First’s function goes beyond streaming audio. Users can customize their hearing experience via an app, which effortlessly adjusts volume and treble/bass mix, and even takes advantage of an iPhone’s geotagging capabilities to save specific settings for when wearers return to different acoustic environments like their homes, offices or favorite restaurants. A “Find My Hearing Aid” function uses a Bluetooth-linked “hot and cold” function to help users pinpoint hearing aids when they’re misplaced. Beltone First is available at more than 1,500 hearing care centers nationwide. More information can be found at the website www.BeltoneFirst.com.