Pediatric Center of North Austin

Every drop counts! Celebrating the spirit of giving and the importance of blood donation.

Traveling with your little ones can be an exciting adventure, but it requires careful planning to ensure a smooth journey.

Here are some essential pre-travel tips to make your family trip enjoyable and stress-free:

✅Health Check-Up: Schedule a pediatric check-up to ensure your child is healthy and travel-ready.
✅Packing Essentials: Bring necessary medications, first-aid supplies, and comfort items like favorite toys or blankets.
✅Travel Itinerary: Plan your travel itinerary to include rest breaks and activities suitable for children.
✅Hydration and Nutrition: Keep your child hydrated and pack healthy snacks to maintain energy levels.

Discover more tips and advice to make your family travel a wonderful experience: https://www.nurturekidspediatrics.com/bon-voyage-with.../

Why a Sports Physical is Crucial for Your Active Child This Summer

As summer approaches, ensuring your child is prepared for their sports activities is essential. A sports physical is a critical step to ensure their safety and well-being. Here are some reasons why a sports physical is crucial for your active child this summer:

✅Injury Prevention: Identifies any pre-existing conditions that might increase the risk of injury.

✅Health Assessment: Provides a comprehensive check-up to assess overall health and fitness levels.

✅Guidance: Offers advice on nutrition, exercise, and injury prevention tailored to your child's needs.

✅Medical Clearance: Ensures your child is medically cleared to participate in sports, giving you peace of mind.

Learn more about the importance of sports physicals and how to schedule one for your child today! Visit our website for more details: https://www.nurturekidspediatrics.com/why-a-sports.../

Happy Environment Day! 🌿🌍
Let's nurture a healthier planet for our little ones and ensure a green future for generations to come. Together, we can make a difference!

Get your mealtimes right

Children will eat at different times of the day, if we allow them to. But should we schedule meals throughout the day, or is it better to eat on demand?

The answer depends on the age of the child.

Newborn to 3 months – there isn’t a schedule for their body pay attention to feeding/hunger cues and offer breast milk or formula on demand.

Month 3 is when babies eat every 3 hours during the day and they cluster feed in the evening, from about 5 PM to 9 PM.

When babies become toddlers, they can go without food for hours. At this point many of them learn to test the rules and manipulate them to their advantage. This is when the schedule must kick in - offer food 4 times per day: breakfast, lunch, after-school snack and dinner. Our body is designed to function better this way. One of the stimuli for Growth Hormone secretion is a substance called Ghrelin, which is secreted by the stomach when we are hungry. So, we are programmed to be hungry at certain times and being hungry is not bad for us.

In honor of our fallen heroes, thank you for your service.

Is your child excited about joining a sports team – whether it's football, soccer, cheerleading, swimming, or any other sport? Before they hit the field or pool, it's essential to schedule a sports physical to ensure they're ready for action. Let's keep our young athletes healthy and safe!

As you end one school year prepare for the next in advance? Make sure to schedule their wellness check-up before heading out on vacation. Getting it done early ensures they’re all set for a healthy start, so you can enjoy your break worry-free and avoid the last-minute rush.

Schedule your kid sports physical & wellness check-up today Pediatric Center of North Austin

Be aware of what is in your child’s snack!
Although many food companies promote their products as healthy, a majority of them still lack the nutrition that your child needs to avoid future weight issues. In fact, many companies advertise “healthy” nutritional components with the hopes of distracting buyers from outrageously poor ingredients. So, what specific food and ingredients might seem healthy but aren’t?

High Sodium foods
✔️Multiple popular brands of chicken nuggets
✔️Goldfish crackers
✔️Children’s souper shapes condensed soup
✔️Lunchables Mini Tacos

High Sugar
✔️Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
✔️Fruit By The Foot
✔️Fruit Loops
✔️Pop-Tarts

Healthy Alternatives
✅Carrots and celery sticks with hummus
✅Pita wedges and hummus
✅Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies (great alternative to goldfish)
✅Fruit with homemade dip (mix a bit of cinnamon into french vanilla yogurt)
✅Whole grain crackers
✅Light popcorn (NOT movie theater butter popcorn)
✅Chewy oatmeal cookies
✅Homemade trail mix
✅Homemade banana muffins

Bringing Smiles, Healing Hearts
Happy National Hospital Week
💙🏥

Little smiles, big heroes!
Happy International Nurse Day!

Where Compassion Meets Care: Celebrating Nurses' Dedication this National Nurses Week!

In households across the United States, many parents are observing their children gravitating towards a diet that lacks essential nutrients. Does the following routine sound familiar?

✅Breakfast: Two pre-packaged frozen waffles with butter and syrup, accompanied by chocolate milk.
✅Morning Snack: A bowl of pretzels with a glass of juice.
✅Lunch: Pizza paired with a juice box.
✅Afternoon Snack: Granola bar and chocolate milk.
✅Second Afternoon Snack: Potato chips with another serving of juice.
✅Dinner: A diminished appetite due to excessive snacking, resulting in minimal consumption and leaving the table early.

If you recognize this pattern, it's time to advocate for healthier eating habits within your family. As parents, fostering a nutritious diet not only benefits our children's physical health but also nurtures lifelong habits that promote overall well-being.
Here are some actionable steps to cultivate a culture of healthy eating in your household:

✅Lead by Example:
Set a precedent by embracing a balanced and nutritious diet yourself. Children often emulate the eating habits they observe in adults.

✅Mindful Snacking:
Keep a variety of wholesome snacks readily available for your children to enjoy, while limiting their access to processed foods high in sugar and unhealthy fats.

✅Educate and Engage:
Involve your children in meal preparation activities and educate them about the importance of nutrition. Teach them how to make healthy choices and prepare their own nourishing meals.

✅Portion Control:
Encourage portion control during meals and snacks. Emphasize the importance of listening to their bodies' hunger and fullness cues, rather than mindlessly indulging in oversized servings.

✅Establish Eating Routines:
Establish structured meal and snack times, discouraging excessive grazing between designated eating periods. This helps regulate appetite and prevents constant snacking throughout the day.

✅Hydration Awareness:
Educate your children about the significance of hydration and encourage them to drink water regularly throughout the day. Limit the consumption of sugary beverages, emphasizing water as the primary source of hydration.

By prioritizing these strategies, you can empower your children to develop healthy eating habits that will support their growth, development, and overall health. Remember, instilling these habits early on lays the foundation for a lifetime of well-being and vitality.

Small hands, big hearts, and a planet to protect!
Happy Earth Day from all of us . Let's nurture our world together! 🌍💚

Saturated and Unsaturated Fats: Whats the Difference?

Fat intake should be 30% of a person’s diet. But, not all fats are created equal!

There are two types of fat: animal fat and vegetable fat. The difference is saturated fat is present in animal sources such as meats and unsaturated fats are present in vegetable sources.

Trans fat on the other hand is found most often in commercial cooking. The process starts with a chemically processed vegetable oil that is hydrogenated, creating a saturated fat. It becomes a trans fat and no longer holds the formation of unsaturated vegetable oil. The oil is converted in this manner to make the oil cheaper and easier to work with.

There you go, now you know and can teach your children.

Today, and every day, we stand together in support of those living with hemophilia. Let's raise awareness, spread knowledge, and foster hope on 🩸

This , we're proud to support the theme 'My health, my right’.

Let's renew our commitment to prioritizing health for all. Whether it's physical, mental, or emotional, let's strive for a world where everyone has access to quality healthcare and the opportunity to thrive.

Happy World Health Day!

🔔Get the lowdown on UTI in children

The urinary tract is like a team with key players – kidneys, ureters (those tubes that move urine from kidneys to the bladder), the bladder, and the urethra. Now, when nasty bacteria decide to set up camp in this team, that's when a urinary tract infection (UTI) happens.

Now, here's some interesting info: in the first month of life, baby boys seem to have a bit more action in the UTI department, hitting about 2.7%, while girls are cruising at 0.7%. And if we're talking circumcision, uncircumcised boys might experience a higher incidence during this time. Fast forward to school-age, and girls take the lead with 1-3%, while boys see a drop to less than 1%.

Inclusion Matters!

Inspiring every woman to feel empowered, relevant, and included.

March 2nd is .

Let’s normalize conversations around teen mental health and support their journey towards mental wellness.

Gen Z faces significant mental health challenges, but they are also leading the charge for change.
✅64% aim for a healthier lifestyle, including better self-care
✅94% view mental health as crucial for their well-being

It’s Baby Sleep Day!

Baby Sleep Day brings attention to the importance of a good night's sleep for every young child and their family.

Share your Colours. Raise awareness and instigate change for people living with a rare disease

supports

READ TO YOUR CHILD to open up the world to them

🧒Children are like sponges they absorb what they get exposed to. If you want to make a difference in your child’s life, take the time to read literature they can learn values from.

BOOKS📚 OPEN UP THE WORLD TO US. IT CAN ALSO TAKE US TO MANY WORLDS FROM THE AUTHORS IMAGINATION. LET THEM EXPLORE.

To ensure that your kids are primed and ready for a summer filled with sports and adventure, it's important to schedule their sport physicals now. This will not only help to prevent any potential injuries, but it will also give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing your children are in top form and ready to tackle any challenge.
So don't delay – get those physicals scheduled today and get ready for a summer of fun and excitement that your kids will never forget!