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St. Luke's Regional Medical Center

2720 Stone Park Blvd.
Sioux City, Iowa
51104

(712) 279-3500

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For Parents
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For Parents

We want to give children and their parents the tools they need to be healthy in and out of the hospital. Keep your child safe by reviewing these first-aid and emergency action tips, proper eating habits and physical fitness requirements of kids.

Inspire Kids Thinking About Healthcare Careers

If you have kids, grandkids or neighbor kids who have any interest in healthcare careers, here's a new website just for them. It was produced by Des Moines University, and is a great primer for any student who wants basic information on healthcare career opportunities right here in Iowa.  www.iowahealthcareers.com

Handle Any Emergency Situation

Do you know what to do if there is an accident involving your child? In moments of panic it’s nice to have a reference guide with the best tips to help. Refer to these quick instructions for common kid emergencies.

First-Aid Tips

  • If someone is bleeding, badly burned, not moving, or not breathing, call 911. If the emergency is less severe and you just need help determining appropriate home remedies call My Nurse at 279-3333.
  • For a bump or bruise, put an ice pack on the part that is hurt. The cold from the ice will numb the pain and help stop swelling. Keep the ice pack on for only about 10 minutes. Be sure to wrap a towel around the ice pack first, to avoid frostbite!
  • For a minor burn, run cool water for 10 to 20 minutes over the area that is burned. Then loosely wrap the area with a clean gauze bandage. Don't put any lotion or cream on the burn.
  • Small scratches or cuts that bleed should be gently washed with warm water and soap. Then use a bandage to keep germs out.

Emergency Action Tips

Some emergencies require immediate attention either at home or by a healthcare professional at the hospital. Check out these children's instruction sheets to help you handle some common kid emergencies:

Animal Bites
Broken Bones
Burns
Cuts
Falls
Frostbite
Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke
Knocked-Out Tooth
Nosebleeds
Seizures
Strains and Sprains 

Also, be sure to keep these on hand or posted to the fridge:

Emergency Contact Sheet

Emergency Contact Sheet (Travel Size)

Healthy eating tips for kids

Wondering what you can do to help your child find healthier eating habits?

Here are some tips from St. Luke’s Food and Nutrition experts:

  • Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products
  • Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, and beans for protein
  • Serve reasonably-sized portions
  • Encourage your family to drink lots of water
  • Limit sugar-sweetened beverages
  • Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat

Keep in mind that moderation is key, and change does not need to happen all at once. Remember to be a role model and stay positive, as both will go a long way to improving your child’s eating lifestyle.

Keeping Kids Active

On average, kids need at least one hour of exercise each day. It’s important that your child’s physical activity is helpful in maintaining and improving their strength, endurance and flexibility. It’s also important to limit the amount of time a child spends watching TV, playing video games or surfing the internet. These types of sedentary activity may limit a child’s desire to be physically active, which can lead to more serious health concerns.
Learn more about the benefits of exercise from Kids Health.