Be prepared this summer, and know where your nearest Neighbors Emergency Center is located. Traditional hospital emergency rooms have a standard wait time of 2 hours, while Freestanding Emergency Rooms, like Neighbors, have an average wait time of 8.5 minutes. That’s the difference between returning home and having dinner with your family after an emergency, or still sitting in the waiting room hoping to have your name called before it gets dark out.

Be on the lookout for the most common summer emergencies, and know how to combat them with awareness and knowledge.

Falls

A large amount of emergency room visits are due to injuries from a fall. This includes varying situations, such as summer based work accidents including ladders or roofs, or a child falling off of a jungle gym at the park. The greater the fall, the more likely a trip to the ER will be.

Foot Injuries

When the hot summer months hit, our shoes tend to come off. This results in many foot injuries. From kids running barefoot in the grass, to an unexpected splinter or bee sting, skin exposure of the foot and legs can cause an ER visit.

Burns

Different types of burns can land you in the emergency room. A lack of sunscreen can cause extremely harmful burns that can lead to excruciating pain. Summer barbeques can also be dangerous with both adults and children exposed to propane, and hot grates. You sould be sure to take extra precaution during any events that involve grilling.

Swimming Injuries

During the summertime, families tend to spend time in and around water. It is extremely important that as a parent you are aware of your children as they play near any body of water. Children are more likely to drown in pools, while teenagers and adults are more likely to drown in natural bodies of water. Spinal injuries from diving or jumping into water are also common.

Bicycle Injuries

Although bike riding may not seem dangerous, adults and children alike are frequently injured during biking accidents. In 2011 over 400,000 people were taken to the ER with biking injuries, many of which took place during the summer. To combat this, always make sure you and your children are wearing helmets and have on the proper pads and safety equipment.

Neighbors Emergency Center has multiple centers opening in Texas. Be sure to check out our Facebook Page for neighborly news and updates.

Many children have very active athletic careers and knowing how to play safe and be smart can only improve this. In addition, learning safety tips can improve children’s teamwork skills, reduce obesity rates, and create a love for exercise and lifelong appreciation for health.

Each sport has very specific injury prevention tips to help children play it safe. From baseball and hockey, to cheerleading and martial arts, there are ways to prevent trauma and injury. However, there are some overall common tips that all children can use. They include:

• Always warm up properly
• Wear the appropriate protective gear
• Enforce a diet with the proper nutrition for athletic performance
• Have pre-season physical examinations
• Avoid overuse and fatigue
• Resist any temptation to play/continue through the pain
• If you are injured, only return to play with clearance from a health professional

As a parent, try and be aware of the warning signs of sports injuries. Examples include swelling, pain, or decreased interest in practice. Always encourage your child to speak up if they feel like something’s not right. Although coaches are observant, their responsibility is on the group of kids as a whole, not just your child.  

Neighbors Emergency Center has multiple centers opening in Texas. Be sure to check out our Facebook Page for neighborly news and updates.

If you make your own, you can choose healthy nuts, like raw almonds, cashews, or pistachios. Avoid nuts that have been roasted in oil to avoid hydrogenated fats. When looking for add-ins, you don’t have to get rid of all the fun stuff. You can still put chocolate in your mix, but go for dark chocolate, like dark chocolate M&Ms, if your child will eat it. Other options include whole wheat pretzels or crackers, raisins, whole grain cereals, or air-popped popcorn. Here are several snack mix ideas to keep things fresh and fun.

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

If you are like most people, you probably have a deep devotion to Nutella. If you aren’t familiar with this delicious chocolate hazelnut spread, it was created in Italy during World War II and was imported into America in 1983.

In recent years, it has taken the culinary world by storm, with entire cookbooks devoted to incorporating Nutella into everything edible. Sadly, it is not very healthy because the first ingredient is sugar and the second ingredient is modified vegetable oils, which is code for highly processed. Good news! You can make a healthier version by using whole food ingredients. This recipe cuts back on the sugar content by using bittersweet chocolate and honey, and light coconut milk takes the place of regular milk, cutting back on the fat. Your kids can dip fruit in it or put it on celery; they can also spread it on whole wheat crackers or toast.

Peanut Butter and Honey Oat Bars

Granola bars are the go-to snack for many families on the go. They’re so easy to throw in a lunchbox or backpack. Unfortunately, many pre-packaged granola bars are just glorified candy bars. Most have a very high sugar content in the form of high fructose corn syrup and are lacking in protein and important nutrients.

There are decent store-bought granola bars out there, but it’s so easy to make your own, and you can even let your kids help. This recipe uses ingredients like honey, coconut oil, and oats to create a healthy, delicious, and filling granola bar.

These healthy snack ideas will win over even the pickiest eater, and you don’t even have to tell your kids that they’re healthy. Happy snacking!

Remember that Neighbors Emergency Centers are here for you to treat any emergency you may have. We are open 24/7/365, and we have short wait times to get you back to doing what you love most. Find your nearest Neighbors at nec24.com.

Two fall festivals which Neighbors attended were the Barbers Hill Fall Fest on October 18th and the Humble Fall Festival on October 25th.

The Humble Fall Festival featured over 300 vendors selling almost anything you could possibly want or need. It also featured live music including performances from local schools, martial arts dojos, and churches. It also, of course, had bounce houses, carnival games, a karaoke stage, and even trunk-or-treat! If you couldn’t make it this year, be sure to come out next year for a wonderful time!

This year’s theme was “Drug-Free Dynasty” and featured cook offs and pie contests, amongst many other exciting events! This annual event is a fantastic way for people in the community to better get to know each other and the kids enjoy it, too!

This two day event was the 18th annual fundraiser hosted by the Kingwood Women’s Club known simply as the “Holiday Marketplace.” People could purchase preview tickets for October 27th where they get an exclusive first look at the marketplace and then, got to attend a special silent auction at the end of the night. All of the proceeds went to Project Mammogram! On October 28th, the marketplace opened for a full day of shopping from 9 am – 5 pm. You could even participate in a catered lunch from Carrabba’s.

November 11th marks another Veteran’s Day and another Veteran’s Day Parade! On November 8th, Neighbors will be in Austin at the parade to show our unwavering support for the brave men and women who have defended our country and those who still are defending our country.

Don’t worry – they don’t involve flax seed or wheat germ, but they are healthier substitutes for many Halloween candy staples.

All you do is bind the kiss and the wafer with a little frosting (or cream cheese if you like) and do the same with the wafer and the chocolate chip! You can even substitute caramel, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips if you want!

If you’re looking for a snack that’s full of flavor, but lower on calories, try some spiced pumpkin-raisin cookies! You can even substitute stevia for the raw sugar. If you’re not a raisin fan, try these apple cup crisps for a festive, one bite snack! Remember that substitute applesauce for butter trick we mentioned before? Well, you can do it here, too!

As pictured at the beginning of the article, you can make witch’s broomsticks (or “Sorcerer’s Apprentice brooms) very easily! All you need is cheese sticks, pretzel sticks, and some chives. You cut the cheese sticks into thirds and then slice “straws” into the ends of the cheese. Then, you stick that on the tip of the pretzel and tie a fresh chive around the top of the cheese for more authenticity!

You’ll easily tackle any Halloween sweet tooth with these snacks and bites. For spookier options, check out these other great and simple recipes for even more creative alternatives to ordinary Halloween candy.