What You Should Have At Home for First Aid

No matter what we do to protect our children, accidents happen. They fall, scrape their knees and bonk their heads. It’s important for parents and caregivers to know how to handle minor injuries at home. You should always have a few things on hand for emergencies. Here are the items we recommend keeping handy.

Thermometer

If you sense that your child may be getting sick, the most important tool you will have is the thermometer. This will help you determine the severity of the sickness and you can better communicate that to your pediatrician if necessary.

Pain Reducer

From headaches to backaches, a pain reducer medicine is great to have on hand for your child. Most come in pill version, but you can also get liquids or gummies. Always ask your doctor what is safe to administer to your child before you do.

Bandages

This one goes without saying! You should always have bandages on hand for your child (and for yourself!) You will want to have multiple sizes on hand and change them out as needed so the cut or scrape does not get infected.

Ice Packs

Ice packs can help anything from a sore wrist to a bonked head. Keep these in your freezer at all times, so they are ready for your child as soon as they need them. You can also keep plastic bags on hand to fill with ice if you prefer that.

Antibiotic Ointment

Antibiotic ointments (such as Neosporin) help wounds heal by keeping out infection and by keeping the wound clean and moist. Most cuts and scrapes heal without antibiotic ointment, but it is very helpful with larger cuts or stitches.

If your child’s injury or sickness is more serious than what you can handle at home, Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado is ready to help and treat your child 365 days a year! If you have any questions, please contact us!

Why You Should Take Your Child to a Pediatric Urgent Care

From traditional doctors’ offices to emergency rooms and urgent care rooms, it can be confusing to know where you should take your child in a time of need. We hope this post helps clear that up. Here are the main reasons why you should take your child to a Pediatric Urgent Care.

Lower Cost

It is no surprise that emergency rooms can rack up a large bill. Urgent care is much more cost-effective for the same level of care. You will pay less and receive pediatric-specific attention at an urgent care. Familiarize yourself with the difference between everyday illnesses and life-threatening conditions to ensure your child receives the best level of care at the best price here.

No Appointment Needed

Unlike a traditional doctor’s office, you can walk right into urgent care. There is no need to make an appointment for your child.

Extended Hours

Urgent Care has longer hours than a traditional doctor’s office which is great on nights and weekends when you have an emergency or want your child to be treated quickly. At Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado, we are open evenings, weekends & holidays!

Short Wait Times

You will likely face long wait times in the Emergency Room due to more pressing emergencies needing to treated before your child. At Urgent Care, you can save time and pre-register from the comfort of your home. This will let us know you are coming, so we can get your child treated faster. Learn more about this here.

Quick Results

Most urgent cares can quickly check everything from strep to urinary tract infections to broken bones and get you quick results and an action plan. Test results at a traditional doctor can take days, so it is very convenient to receive results at urgent care.

Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado is ready to help and treat your child 365 days a year! If you have any questions, please contact us!

Cooking with Kids | Thanksgiving

When we think of Thanksgiving, we all focus on the big meal that we are going to enjoy at dinner. You don’t have to wait until dinner to celebrate with delicious Thanksgiving treats. Start the day off right with peanut butter turkey snacks that are easy for you and your kids to make together!

What you will need:

Muffin cups

Peanut butter

Red and yellow apples or bell peppers

Green Grapes

Directions:

Slice your red and yellow apples or bell peppers.
Have your child can fill the muffin cup with peanut butter.
Let your child pick apple slices to place on one half of the peanut butter filled muffin cup. (You may also use sliced bell peppers)
Place a grape on the other half of the peanut butter filled muffin cup for the head.
Enjoy your healthy Thanksgiving snack!

*Photo and recipe from www.thepartyanimal-blog.org.

COVID-19 Testing

UCHealth is currently experiencing a significant surge in patients wanting Covid PCR testing. For the immediate future, patients without an appointment will be turned away from the drive through testing centers. For pediatric patients, this means if you do not have a proxy UCH account for your child, you cannot schedule an appointment and cannot get them tested. A provider order does not help your child get tested, because they require an appointment which can only be scheduled through the UCH app. Once you have a proxy account for your child, you can self order the testing.

The Youth Clinic and Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado currently have adequate testing supplies of the Molecular Covid Point Of Care (POC) test for patients. Testing does require an appointment at either Youth Clinic or Pediatric Urgent Care.

To set up a proxy account, go to My Health Connection on UCH’s website from a browser : https://www.uchealth.org/access-my-health-connection/

Parent log in or create and account, go to TOOLS, then Request Account Access and follow instructions for a proxy account (needed for anyone under 14, 14 and older create their own account). This has typically been taking 2-4 days but UCH is actively working on speeding up the process.

Poudre School District is currently only accepting the PCR test for return to school purposes.

How to Celebrate Halloween at Home

According to the CDC, many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses like COVID-19. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you and your family can participate in Halloween without participating in large gatherings or traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating. Here are our top tips for a fun-filled Halloween at home!

Decorate Pumpkins

This is a classic Halloween activity! You can either grab pumpkins from your local grocery store or go to a pumpkin patch (if you’re up for venturing out further) for the whole family. Little ones can even participate by painting pumpkins instead of carving!

Host a Virtual Costume Contest

Don’t let your Halloween costumes go to waste! Plan a virtual costume contest with your friends and family via Zoom, Facetime or Google Hangout.

Have a Spooky Movie Marathon

Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown are classic, kid-friendly and spooky movies! Get your family together to watch these movies and get in the Halloween spirit. Bonus points if you make Halloween-themed treats for the night like these cookie spiders!

Create a Scavenger Hunt for Treats

Instead of going door-to-door, create a scavenger hunt for your kids! This is a fun way to get them moving and keep them entertained. Feel free to create your own Halloween scavenger hunt or download free printable ones like this one or this one.

Make Halloween Crafts

There are so many easy and creative Halloween crafts that you can plan to make with your family at home. For your little ones, we encourage you to print out Halloween themed coloring sheets or even a fun craft with googly eyes like this one.

For more information on what Halloween activities are considered low, moderate or high risk, read the CDC’s Holiday Celebration page. We are wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and safe season. Always remember that Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado is here to serve you.

5 Autumn Health and Safety Tips

Now that autumn is on its way, it is important to refresh on seasonal health and safety tips for you and your family. From changes in the weather to fireplace safety, here are five tips for this season!

Be Prepared for Changing Weather

In Colorado, you should be prepared for unexpected drops in temperature in the fall. Even if it is warm during the day, you will want to be sure to bring a warm coat for yourself and your children for the evening hours.

Practice Fire Safety

There’s nothing cozier than spending time next to a fireplace or lighting a candle as the weather turns colder, but they do present certain fire hazards. For the safety of your home and your family, never leave your fire or candles unattended and keep them away from pets and children.

Clean Up Fallen Leaves

Be sure to rake all fallen leaves, especially the ones on your driveway or sidewalk. Wet leaves make for a slip hazard. Once the snow starts to fall, the mix of dead leaves and snow makes an even greater risk for falling.

Get Your Flu Shot

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine. For more information about the Flu Shot, download CDC Flu Vaccine Information. If you have questions about this, please contact your pediatrician.

Boost Your Immune System

You can do this by drinking plenty of water, washing your hands often to prevent sickness, and eating nutritious foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and lean proteins.

For more tips on having a healthy season, read the CDC’s 11 Tips for a Healthy Fall. We are wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and safe season, but if an accident or sickness does occur, Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado is ready to help you.

5 Winter Activity Safety Tips

Before participating in outdoor winter activities, keep in mind these tips to help keep you safe and ready to take on the elements!

Warm-Up

Cold muscles are more prone to injury, so make sure that you are properly stretching and that you are performing light warm-up exercises before you begin any outdoor winter activity!

Check Your Equipment

Be sure to check all of your equipment to ensure it is in good condition and fits properly. This includes skis, ski poles, snowboards, bindings, sleds, snowshoes, skates and more. Ill-fitting or outdated equipment can cause accidents or injuries.

Wear Appropriate Clothing

Multiple layers are strongly encouraged in the winter even though you are likely to warm up while performing your activity. Wear fabrics that provide the best insulation to keep you warm and are moisture-wicking to keep you dry.

Stay Hydrated

Drink plenty of water before, during and after any activity. Inadequate water intake can cause fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches, and dizziness. This is just as important in the winter months as it is in the hot summer sun!

Wear Sunscreen

Even in cold temperatures, your skin can be damaged by the sun. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all exposed skin. Remember to put this on your face, lips, and neck since those are the areas that are most likely exposed in the winter.

For more winter-weather related tips, read our blog about practicing safe snow days!

Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado is ready to help repair any winter activity-related accidents every day until 9:00 pm on the weekdays and 8:00 pm on the weekends!

Fireplace Safety Tips

Lighting a fire on a snowy winter night is a great way to stay cozy. It’s an indulgence for many families, but it poses risks if there is little to no awareness of the hazards or ways to prevent them. Before cuddling up next to your crackling fire, brush up on these fireplace safety tips.

Clear the Area

Look above, below and next to your fireplace for objects that could catch fire, especially flammable ones. Keep all items at least two feet away to keep them from catching.

Remain in the Room

Never leave an active fire unsupervised. The fire can easily get out of hand and you will want to make sure your children are staying away from the open flames and hot surface!

Safety Screens

The glass door on fireplaces doesn’t protect all from getting burned. Put up safety screens to provide a barrier between the hot glass and anyone near the fire.

Tools & Accessories

Brooms and pokers make fireplace management easy, but they look like toys to children. Store these items away to avoid accidents.

Hard Surfaces

The materials used to build fireplaces like stone and marble are not soft. Make sure to keep an eye on your child while he or she is around the fireplace to prevent hard landings.

Education

Teach your children the dangers of fires by creating and practicing a home fire escape plan. Make sure they feel confident in knowing where to go and what to do if a fire were to occur.

Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado is ready to help repair your fire-related accidents every day until 9:00 pm on the weekdays and 8:00 pm on the weekends! If you have any questions on the severity of accidents we can repair versus the emergency room, check out this post or call us at 970-494-2626!

Winter Health and Safety Tips

Colorado winters are unique in that we can experience winter storms and deep freezes, and turn around the next day and have weather that feels more like spring or fall. No matter the conditions, parents should be prepared to face anything this winter. Here are some winter health and safety tips that parents should keep in their back pocket.

Dress your children in layers

Some of the common health issues kids can experience in the winter are hypothermia and frostbite. Both of these are typically the result of children playing in cold temperatures and snow without the proper clothing. Dress your children in several thin layers to keep them dry and warm during outdoor activity. An easy rule of thumb to remember is to dress them in one more layer than you would dress in those conditions. Be sure that your child wears gloves, scarves, hats, and boots if they are playing in the snow. This will help prevent frostbite.

Prepare for winter sports and activities

Your kids likely will want to play in the snow and participate in fun winter sports and activities like skiing, ice skating, and sledding. As with any sport, injury can occur, but there are ways to prevent injury. If your children are interested in ice skating, be sure they skate in the same direction as the crowd, avoid darting across the ice, and wear equipment like helmets and knee and elbow pads, especially while they are learning. If your kids want to go sledding, make sure they are supervised by an adult at all times, they sled feet first, and they stay away from crowds and vehicles. If your family plans on going skiing or snowboarding this winter, make sure all equipment fits properly and is in good shape. Children should never ski alone and should be supervised by an adult.

Winter car seat safety

Winter can be a tricky time for car seats, and for new parents, some of this might be news. As a rule, bulky clothing, like snowsuits and winter coats, should not be worn under the harness of a car seat. The best thing to do is dress your child in thin layers, strap them into the car seat, and place their coat or blanket over them if you think they won’t be warm enough. Make sure the harness is snugly tightened across your child’s chest. Another way to ensure your child will be warm in the car seat is to bring it inside when it is not in use. That way you avoid placing them in a cold environment. Also, avoid putting blankets behind them in the car seat. They will add extra padding, leaving space for your child to potentially slide out of the harness in an accident situation.

This winter, we want all families to be safe from illness and injury. These tips are easy to follow and will be beneficial in the end. If your child falls ill or gets injured this winter, bring them to Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado. We are open 365 days a year, and our staff is committed to providing the best care for your child.

Updated COVID Safety Protocols

We are open and continuing to provide care for children in Northern Colorado. Doctor appointments are considered essential services and the Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado is here for your family’s healthcare needs. We are ready to see your family and are continuing to work diligently to provide a safe place for children to receive health care by taking precautionary measures to ensure that all patients and staff remain safe and healthy. Below are some updated protocols to ensure the safety of our patients, parents and staff.

NEW SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Families will be limited to one adult/parent to accompany a patient.
Families will be asked to wait in their cars upon arrival to the urgent care.
Upon arrival, families will need to let the office know they have arrived by using a specific direct number which will be posted on the front window/door.
Infants and children under 3 do not have to wear a mask, everyone else will need to have a mask on when entering the building.
Families will be contacted by Nursing staff and given instructions on entering the building.
All Families will have their temperature taken upon entering our buildings.
If a high temperature is detected, families will be asked to reschedule their appts.