Having a sick child is one of the worst things for a parent to go through, especially if your child is too young to really explain what’s wrong with them. Sometimes it’s tough to figure out when to visit the ER or urgent care — or when a visit to the pediatrician might be the best choice.
Pediatrician Caroline Olaleye, MD, and Family Medicine Physician Anwar Isabell, MD, both with the University of Medicine Comer Children’s, help parents distinguish when you should or shouldn’t make a trip to the emergency room with your child.
Determine how serious the illness is
“If the child has serious conditions, such as a broken bone, seizures, unconsciousness, breathing issues, bleeding wounds, severe allergic reactions, head injuries or if a newborn has a fever over 100.4 degrees,” then that would warrant a trip to the emergency room, say the experts at UChicago Medicine.
If it is anything less severe than that, parents should take their children to the pediatrician’s office or to an urgent care clinic.
Taking your child to the emergency room
Since the rise of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases, emergency rooms and hospitals have been more crowded than usual.
“Unless a child has severe symptoms, such as trouble breathing, they may find faster and more appropriate care at an urgent care clinic or with a pediatrician,” say the experts.
They point out some of the conditions best treated in the emergency room are broken bones, allergic reactions, burns, dehydration, fevers in newborns, head injuries, trouble breathing, ingesting poison, large or complex wounds and suicidal thoughts.
For kids, where you seek emergency care matters.
“If possible, take them to a pediatric emergency room like Comer Children’s Hospital, which is staffed with emergency pediatric doctors, has child-sized medical equipment, and has a more soothing, child-friendly setting,” the experts say.
Taking your child to urgent care
Urgent care facilities are the option to use when your pediatrician’s office is closed.
Dr. Olaleye and Dr. Isabell inform parents to make sure the urgent care location takes children before heading there.
Some of the most common conditions they say would be best treated at urgent care are fever, infections and minor injuries.
Taking your child to the pediatrician
“It’s the best place to go for common illnesses like flu, bronchitis, RSV and sinus and ear infections,” says the experts. “The same applies for routine care, such as immunizations, blood tests and school and sports physicals.”
Some of the most common conditions they say would be best treated at your child’s pediatrician’s office are well visits/checkups, allergies, common respiratory illnesses and injuries with mild or minor pains.
Sometimes it’s hard to get your child into the pediatrician on the same day, so it’s best to have a secondary plan to put into action if need be.
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) believes it’s best for children to receive medical care at their pediatrician’s office, it isn’t always feasible. Telehealth services or virtual visits with your pediatrician and pediatric specialists may also be an option for your family, according to the AAP. This can help you make sure your child continues to get the care they need — and it’s convenient for you, too.
As your child’s parent, you know them best. If you think the illness is more serious, take them to the emergency room. If you think it is less serious, but still want to get them checked out by a doctor, schedule an appointment with their pediatrician or take them to urgent care that sees children.
Content brought to you by UChicago Medicine. Learn about UChicago Medicine and Comer Children’s unique approach to the care of women and children. Discover UchicagoMedicine.org.
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