While it may seem like all fun and games for the preschoolers, they are engaging in hands-on activities that will teach them, in some cases, life saving behaviors.
Now in its second run, the Teddy Bear Clinic teaches preschoolers, parents and caregivers healthy habits and safety tips. After a very successful first turnout this past March, the Teddy Bear Clinic at NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group is back and scheduled to recur quarterly.
The clinic is scheduled for June 8 from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm and will highlight preventative safety geared to summer activities.
With outside playtime in full swing, topics like sun, pool, bike and helmet safety are addressed.
While many people enjoy having fun in the sun, some are unaware of limiting exposure between 10 am – 4 pm because UV rays are at their highest and that sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours. Useful facts and tips like these are brought up in a lively environment conducive for adults and children alike.
Vita Annitto, NP, pediatrics, NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group, said the ultimate goal of this program will be “instilling good habits and safety tips to parents at a young age for their children, so they can carry through their childhood and beyond to their family.”
Take a look back at your childhood. Do you remember the simple joy of riding your bike on a warm summer day? Do you remember having your parents yell at you to wear your helmet, so you grab whatever you could find quick and toss it on your head? Many times children follow through with the safety habit of wearing a helmet, but in some cases they do not fit properly or worse, they are not buckled. Parents and caregivers will learn about helmet safety and the importance of having them fit and worn properly.
On the topic of pool safety, potential life saving behaviors such as, “safe touch supervision” for children under the age of five will be discussed. This simply is the understanding that adults should be close enough to a child so that they can touch them. According to the CDC, drowning is responsible for more deaths among children between the ages of 1 through 4 than any other cause except congenital anomalies (birth defects). Behaviors like ‘“safe touch supervision” are put in place to be used as preventative tools for safety.
The Teddy Bear Clinic is run by pediatric nurse practitioners who Annitto said, “are motivated to promote wellness and safety.” Why not make make learning about safety fun? This is exactly what the pediatrics team at NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group does.
The Teddy Bear clinic is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Pediatric Waiting Room at NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group.
Come and sing along with your child this Friday and repeat these words “top and bottom, and in between” while learning how germs are spread and how to wash your hands.
To register, call 631-425-2110. Click here for more information.