Get Fit Friday: Sugar Swap
-Physical fitness is very important to overall health, even in kids. In this series, we will share tips on how to make fitness fun, creative ways to get kids moving, steps to take to make fitness a healthy habit, and more! Lace up your sneakers and let’s get moving! Reducing your sugar intake is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your health. Sugar addiction is real and we have become so accustomed to the added sugars in our diet that we do not always taste what we are eating. Here are…
Ready, Set, Read!
-As well as providing superior pediatric care for your little ones, Dr. Whitenton has an array of knowledge of helpful tips for your family! With school back in session, Dr. Whitenton is here to talk about encouraging healthy reading habits, even before children enter their school years! Back to school means back to books, but reading skills start much earlier than school. Reading aloud to kids lays groundwork that is important for future success in school and beyond. It creates an environment that explains the structure of language in both written and verbal form, and it enhances bonding between child and…
Get Fit Friday: Trotting with Tots
-Physical fitness is very important to overall health, even in kids. In this series, we will share tips on how to make fitness fun, creative ways to get kids moving, steps to take to make fitness a healthy habit, and more! Lace up your sneakers and let’s get moving! Trotting with Tots is a group of exercise-friendly, hardworking mama’s who meet on a weekly basis and go on various runs across Austin, with their strollers in tow. When it comes to everyday fitness and where to begin, we went to Loren McEllin, the founder of Trotting with Tots to answer all…
Helping Your Child to Succeed in School
-Today, we have a guest post by Lisa Moss, an experienced educator. She is sharing her tips from a teacher’s perspective on things parents can do at home to help their children achieve their highest potential at school. Once again it is time for your child to go back to school. Whether your child is an academic genius, star athlete, musical prodigy, or just a normal, everyday kid, you want them to have a successful school experience. Here are some suggestions for helping your child have a productive year at school: 1. Establish Routines and Expectations Making sure to establish…
First Time Scholars
-The transition into Kindergarten is a big step for kids. Some say it is the biggest transition one can experience! This is an exciting time with lots of growth and changes. These tips can help ensure a smooth transition for your little Kindergartners: 1. Consistent Bed and Wake up Times: Having consistency in their early bedtimes and wake up times will create good habits. Their little brains need rest, especially after a long day of learning! If school starts on Monday, start the consistent bed time routine a couple days before to get their bodies used to the schedule. This way, when school…
Back to School Craft
-Summer is coming to an end and school is approaching quickly. What better way to get in the zone and prepare for school than doing a fun, easy, back to school craft? This is a fun activity for all ages and can generate excitement for the school days ahead. Check out this adorable “Back to School Pencil Craft” by Crafty Morning: Materials Needed: -Yellow Paint -4 Popsicle sticks -Paintbrush -Black market -Pink/tan paper Step 1: Measure and cut the pink paper to make a square shaped eraser. Measure and cut the tan paper to make the shape of a pencil (rectangle…
Sneaky Steps
-Physical fitness is very important to overall health, even in kids. In this series, we will share tips on how to make fitness fun, creative ways to get kids moving, steps to take to make fitness a healthy habit, and more! Lace up your sneakers and let’s get moving! Between iPads, iPhones, Wii, XBox, Computer games, and Playstation, sometimes the word “exercise” may not thrill your child. Getting some exercise in and getting your heart rate up is so important for your health. Here are a few tips to motivate your kiddos into getting a little bit of extra exercise: …
Get Fit Friday
-Today, we’re debuting a new blog series, Get Fit Friday! Physical fitness is very important to overall health, even in kids. In this series, we will share tips on how to make fitness fun, creative ways to get kids moving, steps to take to make fitness a healthy habit, and more! Lace up your sneakers and let’s get moving! This time of year, especially in Texas, the heat can deter even the toughest kids from playing outside, which can lead to a few summer couch potatoes in your house! While it’s definitely wise to be cautious in this…
Boost Your Baby’s Eye Health While Having Fun!
-Boosting your baby’s eye health may not always be at the top of your parenting to-do list. You might have never even thought about your baby’s eye health all that much until now. Truth be told, baby eye exercises are an essential part of your child’s development. They can strengthen the eye over time and build healthier vision as they grow. A study published in PLoS One (2013) found that eye exercises might improve cognitive performance. This of course is an important factor to growing up. Boosting your baby’s eye health may also help them avoid glasses and/or contacts over…
Summer Days Drifting Away
-Just because the school year is right around the corner doesn’t mean that the fun has to come to an end. With children, days can get long but the years are short. Summer is a great time to do things you have never done before and cherish that family time that is soon to be crammed with school, homework, and other extracurricular activities. Take a look at how to make the best of your remaining summer weeks: Take a Staycation: Try being a tourist in your city. Google: BEST things to do in “your city” and follow that. Sometimes we get too comfortable…
Staff Spotlight: Amanda Stuart
-Each and every team member here at Urgent Care for Kids performs a crucial task that keeps our clinics running smoothly and helps make each patient’s visit a success. We want to give you a chance to get to learn more about our staff that you may see in our clinics and what makes them so great! Staff Spotlight: Meet Amanda! Name: Amanda Stuart Job Title: Nurse/Office Manager Hometown: Odessa, Texas Favorite Sports Team: Houston Texans What is your favorite thing about Urgent Care for Kids? The Patients. I love helping children in need and it makes me feel incredibly proud when I go home…
Urgent Care vs. Emergency Room Q&A
-At least once every day, we receive a phone call from a parent asking whether they should take their child to an urgent care facility, or the emergency room. While each scenario is different, we’ve gathered a few common stories that lead to the question of urgent care vs. emergency room, and we’re going to explain each one! Parent: “My child fell on the playground and has a cut on his leg. I think he might need stitches! Can you do that, or do we need to go to the emergency room?” UC4K: “We can definitely have one of our providers evaluate…
Staff Spotlight: Dr. Nguyen
-Each and every team member here at Urgent Care for Kids performs a crucial task that keeps our clinics running smoothly and helps make each patient’s visit a success. We want to give you a chance to get to learn more about our staff that you may see in our clinics and what makes them so great! Staff Spotlight: Meet Dr. Nguyen! Name: Anthony Nguyen Job Title: Pediatrician Hometown: Seattle Favorite Sports Team: Seattle Seahawks What is your favorite thing about Urgent Care for Kids? The kids and their chubby cheeks What three traits define you? Punctual, Creative, Organized What’s one thing you couldn’t live without? Jazz Where…
#ThrowbackThursday
-Welcome back to #THROWBACKTHURSDAY! We love this series because every Thursday we take a trip down memory lane and visit the history of Urgent Care for Kids, healthcare, and other fun things. Hop into our time machine and let’s go! Today, we’re learning the short history behind rubber ducks! Here at Urgent Care for Kids, rubber ducks are our favorite toy, and we were interested in learning more about how they were invented! Late 19th Century The invention of rubber ducks is linked to the increase in rubber manufacturing in the late 19th century. The earliest rubber ducks were made…
Preparing Big Brother or Sister
-Siblings are a wonderful gift that parents can give their children. They are built in playmates, support systems, and in some cases best friends! Some people say, “Having one is one but having two is twenty.” The transition from one child to two children is a huge adjustment for everyone including brother or sister. This momentous change can be exciting but sometimes traumatic for little ones to grasp. Different age gaps between children will provide different adjustments, but we have compiled a list of ways to prepare big brother or big sister for the arrival of this new bundle of joy!…
Staff Spotlight: Shelby Winschel
-Each and every team member here at Urgent Care for Kids performs a crucial task that keeps our clinics running smoothly and helps make each patient’s visit a success. We want to give you a chance to get to learn more about our staff that you may see in our clinics and what makes them so great! Staff Spotlight: Meet Shelby! Name: Shelby Winschel Job Title: Houston Area Verification and Collections Auditor Hometown: Kempner, Texas Favorite Sports Team: University of Alabama Crimson Tide What is your favorite thing about Urgent Care for Kids? Learning new things daily, seeing returning patients come back and forming relationships with…
#ThrowbackThursday
-Welcome back to #THROWBACKTHURSDAY! We love this series because every Thursday we take a trip down memory lane and visit the history of Urgent Care for Kids, healthcare, and other fun things. Hop into our time machine and let’s go! Today, we’re learning about the history of crayons! A staple in every school box, and a tool for a favorite pastime, crayons have been a part of childhood for many generations. Here’s how crayons went from a carbon-based product to the rainbow of colors we have today! 1864 – Joseph Binney founds Peekskill Chemical Works in upstate New York for…
Summer Heat Safety
-As well as providing superior pediatric care for your little ones, Dr. Whitenton has an array of knowledge of helpful tips for your family! With summer just around the corner, today she is here to talk about staying safe in the heat! Temperatures are on the rise, and so is the incidence of heat related illness. Everyone’s threshold for sustaining injury due to heat is different, but being able to recognize the signs that a problem is occurring can save lives. As soon as any heat related illness is suspected, move the child to a cooler location such as an air…
Kids in the Kitchen: Recipe Book
-Every month, we’ve shared recipe ideas that will allow your little ones to help you in the kitchen. Cooking with children can be a wonderful way to teach them, engage their senses, and build memories that can last a lifetime. A great way to record those memories is to create a recipe book that they can put together and add to over the years. To get started, purchase a binder in a color your child will like and find printable recipe cards. We love these free printable recipe books from www.pinkwhen.com and www.thirtyhandmadedays.com,…
Staff Spotlight: Kristin Bevinetto
-Each and every team member here at Urgent Care for Kids performs a crucial task that keeps our clinics running smoothly and helps make each patient’s visit a success. We want to give you a chance to get to learn more about our staff that you may see in our clinics and what makes them so great! Staff Spotlight: Meet Kristin! Name: Kristin Bevinetto Job Title: Radiologic Technologist/Receptionist Hometown: New Orleans, LA Favorite Sports Team: New Orleans Saints What is your favorite thing about Urgent Care for Kids? I love what a wonderful team we have! We’re like a big family. We’re always willing to help…
