You know it’s important to wear sunscreen. You know it’s important to wear it even when it’s not summertime. You also know it’s even more important to use sunscreen in the summer when we are outside longer hours and when the sun is the hottest.
You know all these things and try to put them into practice, but do you know how to choose the right sunscreen?
There has been much discussion over the last decade about concussions in professional sports. It has brought more attention to high school and college sports as well. Children are just as vulnerable to getting a concussion, but in other ways. You can’t watch them every minute of the day, so here are some tips about what to do if you suspect your child may have a concussion.
Continue reading “What To Do If You Suspect Your Child May Have A Concussion”
Halloween is a time for tricks and treats, spooks and ghouls, and all the fun Halloween events that occur around the Chicago area every October. It’s a festive time of year that kids love, but it does come with some risks. Ensuring your family stays safe can be a significant task in this day and age. Below are a few Halloween safety tips to prevent injury and keep safe.
Pedestrians are more than twice as likely to be struck by a car and killed on Halloween as on any other day of the year. Be sure to:
Even if costumes are light colored enough to remain visible at night, they may pose other risks. Make sure costumes:
Chicago streets are full on Halloween. Special consideration for child safety is often necessary as a result. Make sure you:
We at Premier Urgent Care wish you a Happy and safe Halloween.
Our board-certified staff provides quick, convenient urgent care services to keep the whole family healthy. Please visit us at our Southside Chicago location whenever you are in need of urgent care services.
Learn why patients have come to trust Premier Health Network. Visit https://premierucchicago.com.
The back-to-school shuffle is finally here, and parents and their children alike are busy adjusting to new schedules. After-school fall sports are in full swing, which may make kids more likely to sustain injuries. Though coaches and teachers have the best intentions when it comes to keeping your children safe, there are things that you, as a parent, can do to maximize their safety all season long. Here’s how you can keep your child healthy on and off the field this fall.
Dehydration can set in earlier in children than it does for healthy adults – the younger the child, the quicker dehydration can occur. During the cooler fall months, kids will also be less likely to rehydrate, as their perception of effort may be less at lower temperatures. Send them to school with a water bottle and encourage them to refill frequently during the day and at practices. At dinner and other meals at home, offer water – not juices or pop.
Sports equipment, particularly used school gear, can fall into disrepair and do its job less effectively. For contact sports such as football and soccer, snug fitting protective equipment can help protect against serious injury or concussion. If school equipment does not seem to be well-maintained, consider purchasing your own for the season or encouraging the school to buy more for the team. Always be on the lookout for signs of disorientation, confusion, dizziness, or nausea or vomiting, which could be indicative of a concussion.
Avoid Overexertion in the Heat
Though it is still September, the Chicago area is known for having temps well into the 80s throughout the month. When kids are pushing themselves physically, heat-related illnesses can occur. Heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and even a heat stroke pose a threat to children and teens, particularly those who push themselves and don’t know when to take a break. Football players are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses due the equipment they wear – studies show they are over 11 times more likely to suffer a heat- related illness than any other sport combined.
Talk to your kids about knowing their limits and taking rests throughout practice, especially during the heat. Make sure your child’s coaches are on board and that they know safety trumps any need to develop toughness or “grit.” When a child does come home from a hot practice, make sure they drink plenty of fluids, including water and sports drinks to replace electrolytes.
We at Premier Urgent care hope you have a safe and fun fall sports season! If you do need help, our providers are available for immediate care.
Premier Urgent Care Center provides high-quality healthcare throughout the Chicago area, with urgent care services that are quick, convenient, and compassionate. We have a staff of highly trained and board certified physicians and physician assistants who can address the immediate healthcare needs of your whole family.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us for immediate care.
Learn why patients have come to trust Premier Health NetworkUrgent Care. Visit https://premierucchicago.com.
If you or your child has an itchy eye that’s red and irritated, knowing the difference between pink eye, (also called conjunctivitis), and a simple allergy or irritant can be crucial. Pink eye spreads extremely easily and knowing the difference could help you identify and address an infection before it gets worse or spreads to others.
Pink eye, medically known as conjunctivitis, entails the inflammation of the conjunctiva, the transparent whitish membrane over the eyes. This inflames the blood vessels of the conjunctiva, causing a reddish or pinkish coloring in the whites of the eyes. Human eyes are very sensitive and may redden due to various types of irritation. Causes can include bacteria, viruses, fungi, toxic or allergic insults.
Several home remedies can alleviate the symptoms of pink eye, such as using a warm compress over the affected eye to reduce itchiness and swelling, removing contact lenses, and proper hygiene. Depending on the type of conjunctivitis a person has, these remedies may help overcome symptoms. However, some types of conjunctivitis will require medical intervention. If pink eye causes pain, fever, or changes in vision, the affected individual should seek medical care immediately.
Conjunctivitis symptoms can appear due to allergies or exposure to some airborne irritants, such as smoke or chemical fumes. In most cases, symptoms will subside after moving away from the source of the irritation and proper cleaning. People who suffer from allergic conjunctivitis often find relief from over-the-counter allergy medications such as antihistamines For example, taking a shower after spending time outdoors and using antihistamines may alleviate the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis from pollen exposure outdoors.
For other types of conjunctivitis caused by viruses and bacteria, help from a doctor may be necessary for symptoms to improve. You should also take steps to prevent the spread of viral or bacterial conjunctivitis as they are extremely contagious. Replace any bedding and pillowcases used by the person with pink eye and have everyone in the home refrain from touching their eyes. Frequent handwashing can also help stop the spread of the viruses and bacteria that can cause conjunctivitis.
For more information on pink eye visit: https://www.cdc.gov/features/conjunctivitis/index.html.
Learn why patients have come to trust Premier Urgent Care.
In this post, we look at child drowning. Children experience drowning risks that differ from adults – many children drown because they are curious and unsupervised. Drownings are the leading cause of injury death for young children ages one to 14, and three children die each day from drowning, says the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fortunately, there are ways to prevent child drowning.
Install a fence around your pool. Many states require pool fences, especially for in-ground pools. The fence should have a locking mechanism that cannot be opened by a small child. Above ground pools should have foldable and lockable ladders, but even that may not be enough. The top piece of advice is: know where your children are at all times. Supervise them when outside, and install alarms on any doors that could be opened onto the pool area by small children so you are alerted if they venture out.
When the pool is not in use, remove all tempting toys and floats from the water. Kids are curious and love to play. They may not understand the inherent danger of playing with toys near the pool or climbing on an innocent-looking float until it is too late.
Finally, when pool season is over for the year, install a properly fitted, rigid pool cover that keeps debris out, as well as children and pets that could fall into the pool area.
Teaching your kids how to avoid drowning is the best way to keep such a tragic event from happening in the first place. Make sure they know about the dangers of unsupervised swimming and that a caregiver must be watching over them in the pool at all times. They need to know how to swim in the event they do fall into the pool. Enroll them in swimming lessons at the local YMCA or gym, or host them at your own pool with a certified swim instructor.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/swim-lessons.aspx
Also, encourage your children to jump feet first, especially into water they have never been in before or where they can’t see the bottom, such as a lake. Keep little ones within arm’s reach at all times.
If you do not know CPR, what are you waiting on? Learn it! You could save a life in the time it takes the paramedics to arrive on the scene.
As parents, we should learn lifesaving measures to prevent accidents from happening in our own pools and at pools of neighbors and friends. Make sure the pool area is equipped with life vests and make sure the kids know how to use them. Take a CPR course yourself so you can provide lifesaving techniques to a child before paramedics can arrive.
Premier Urgent Care Center provides high-quality healthcare throughout the Chicago area, with urgent care services that are quick, convenient, and compassionate. We have a staff of highly trained and board certified physicians and physician assistants who can address the immediate healthcare needs of your whole family. To learn more, call us at 773-891-2890.
Learn why patients have come to trust Premier Urgent Care.
Soon your children will be home for the summer. They will be playing outside and (inevitably) injuring themselves. There are many common summer injuries for kids, but the question many parents ask is, “What should I do if they happen?”
Some injuries aren’t serious and can be treated at home, but others require the attention of a medical professional. Here are a few common summer injuries for kids and tips for helping them stay safe.
It’s nice outside and the kids want to bounce. They love the trampoline, but it can be dangerous if they are not careful.
A few tips to keep your children safe on trampolines:
If you are unsure a trampoline is safe for your child, it may be best to keep them away or consult your child’s physician for more information.
Most kids love to help mow the lawn or ride the mower for fun, but this can be dangerous if they are not properly supervised. To protect your children from injuries, it is important to keep these ideas in mind:
This is not an exhaustive list by any means but just some common contributors to mower injuries.
Children love to visit playgrounds and parks in the summer. There are slides and jungle gyms and myriad fun objects to climb on, swing from, and play with to and keep kids entertained. But what about the hazards of a playground?
Keep your children safe with these rules for playground safety:
Many things can happen to a child at the playground. It is important to think about safety with your children, with regard to their clothing and play habits.
Kids will be kids and they will find ways to hurt themselves that few can predict. However, it is important to follow safety practices no matter where you are or what your child is doing. Following the tips above steps will help prevent many potential injuries to your children.
Helmets should be mandatory and pads are strongly recommended when riding a bike, skateboard, or scooter. Water safety should not be ignored but is a separate topic that requires its own list of tips. Dangers seem to be lurking at every turn. It is impossible to prevent all injuries but some simple precautions can significantly help reduce the chances.
Learn why patients have come to trust Premier Urgent Care.
