News and Tips from NiteHawk

1. Model a good attitude and set an example.

Wear your own mask and keep a positive attitude. If you are going to the store and want your child to wear a mask, be sure to put yours on first.

“Attitude and role modeling of the parent really affects the majority of a child’s behavior,” explains Pottkotter. “If the parent has a positive approach (even if you don’t agree with it), the child will be more likely follow suit and do the same.”

2. Explain the importance of mask-wearing.

“Kids tend to like superheroes and superheroes wear a mask!” says Pottkotter.

It is important for children to view mask-wearing as fun and important and not a punishment. It is one of the best things they can do to help stop the spread of germs. Children also can understand that we are wearing masks to protect others, just like superheroes protect others.

3. Make sure the mask is the right size.

Children should have masks that fit snugly around the child’s face to prevent less germs from spreading. It should cover the nose to chin and fit comfortably around the ears.

“A fun activity is to have the children pick out fabrics as there are so many to choose from. If you’re a seamstress, you can sit down and sew them but there are easy, no-sew ways to make a mask, too. It can be a fun experiment,” says Pottkotter.

Another tip is to have a different fabric from the front to the back. This helps children distinguish which is the front and which is the back.

4. Teach them how to put on and take off a mask.

“Donning” and “doffing” are typical words in a business where employees put on and remove work-related protective gear. “They can be great vocabulary words to teach kids,” says Pottkotter.

To properly don (put on) a mask:

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
• Touch only the part that wraps around your ears while you secure your mask.
• Gently pull below the chin to adjust the mask to the position covering your nose to your chin.

To properly doff (take off) a mask:

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
• Touch the part behind your ear and remove straight forward.
• Fold the mask in half.
• Put it in a paper bag, labeled with your name.

“You want to teach your kids that masks are just for you and are not to be shared. They should be stored in a safe place,” says Pottkotter

Another tip is to have two bins in your laundry room: one marked for dirty masks and one marked for clean masks. These makes it easy to know which masks are contaminated and which are available for use.

5. Practice wearing masks and gradually increase time.

“It’s so important that we don’t put the burden on teachers to teach your kids how to wear a mask,” says Pottkotter. “They should be familiar and used to wearing them before school begins.”

After teaching the reasons why we wear masks, setting a good example, and showing the proper procedures, it is time to practice. “Maybe just start with wearing them for 10 seconds,” says Pottkotter.

As children adjust to wearing the mask, gradually increase the time. Once they are fairly acclimated, have them try reading with their mask on or doing homework for five minutes. Continue to increase the time and vary the activities until they are largely adjusted to mask-wearing.

The same basic precautions for the flu apply to avoiding the Coronovirus.

1. Avoid close contact.
   Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

2. Stay home when you are sick.
   If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.

3. Cover your mouth and nose.
   Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu and other serious respiratory illnesses, like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), are spread by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands.

4. Clean your hands.
   Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

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As consumers continue to demand greater access to healthcare providers and adopt new technology to support their needs, providers are answering the call… literally.

‍Telemedicine, which allows providers to remotely diagnose and treat certain illnesses through digital devices, has been growing rapidly in popularity. Last year, Solv introduced a video telemed platform designed specifically for urgent care patients to schedule a telemedicine visit through the Solv website, helping them save valuable time and receive care from the comfort of their home. For providers, it supports the patient demand, fill latent capacity, and load balances patient flow between clinic locations.

NiteHawk Pediatric Urgent Care, based in Wylie, TX and building their existing partnership with Solv, is the newest urgent care group to implement the Solv telemedicine platform. As NiteHawk continues to expand their services throughout the greater Dallas and Fort Worth metro area, adopting a telemedicine service was the next piece of the puzzle, allowing parents to conveniently arrange video calls with trusted pediatricians and be treated without ever leaving home.

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RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 24, 2015  -- Viztek, the leading provider of complete digital software and hardware diagnostic imaging solutions, today announced that the flagship facility of NiteHawk Pediatric Urgent Care ("NiteHawk"), is now the first facility in the state of Texas to select the company's Ultra Straight Arm DR with Pediatric Imaging Package with dose conscious capabilities. With the new system, NiteHawk's Wylie facility is the only urgent care center in Texas to better provide patients with low dose, high quality imaging, while also increasing access to quality urgent care designed specifically to meet the needs of children.