Pediatric emergency care is a type of medical care given to infants and children experiencing medical emergencies. Emergency departments at hospitals and after-hours urgent care facilities are the two most common places to get pediatric emergency care. Types of care include just about any medical service that prevents a child from losing his or her life, limbs, vision, or hearing. Children are also more likely to be seen for less life-threatening illnesses and conditions, such as upper respiratory viruses or minor injuries.
Cases that require pediatric emergency care should typically be seen at the hospital, where there is a wide variety of specialists and equipment on hand. Examples of emergencies include potentially broken bones, high or persistent fevers, and injuries in which a significant amount of bleeding has occurred. Those who feel a child’s life may be in danger due to an illness or injury should seek immediate medical attention, even if the symptoms do not fall into a commonly treated category.
Children with serious but not life-threatening illnesses can be seen at an urgent care facility. These facilities differ from hospitals because they are typically smaller and cannot treat most trauma cases. Examples of the type of pediatric emergency care cases that can be seen by an urgent care facility include colds and flu viruses, asthma-related concerns, cuts, and minor broken bones. If the facility is unable to handle a particular illness or injury, staff members can typically assist with getting a child admitted to a hospital.
A general practitioner at the hospital can treat most types of illnesses and minor injuries that require pediatric emergency care if a pediatric specialist isn’t available. If broken bones are involved, an orthopedic specialist will need to evaluate and set the break. Illnesses and injuries should be reported to the child’s regular pediatrician for follow-up care.
In some cases, pediatric emergency care can be performed right in the child’s regular pediatrician’s office. If an illness or injury occurs during regular office hours, parents or guardians can call the office and find out if the doctor can fit them in. The nurse or doctor may recommend going straight to the emergency department of the hospital if the injury or illness sounds life threatening.
Children are typically seen more often for non-life threatening illnesses and injuries than adults are. The main reason for this is that children are less able to articulate the severity of their symptoms, and parents often prefer to err on the side of caution. While a trip to the hospital may not be necessary for every cough or scrape, parents should use their best judgment and seek emergency pediatric care if they even slightly suspect the illness or injury may be severe enough to warrant it.
