Is it a Medical Emergency?

Should I Go to the ER?

Here are some reasons to go to the ER :

• if your child has difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• if your child has had a change in mental status, such as suddenly becoming unusually sleepy or difficult to rouse, disoriented, or confused
• if your child has a cut in the skin that is bleeding and won't stop
• if your child has a stiff neck along with a fever
• if your child has a rapid heartbeat that doesn't slow down
• if your child accidentally ingests a poisonous substance or too much medication
• if your child has had more than minor head trauma

Other situations may seem alarming, but don't require a trip to the ER. The list below includes some of the symptoms that may require calling your doctor:

• high fever
• ear pain
• pain in the abdomen
• headache that doesn't go away
• rash
• mild wheezing
• persistent cough

When in doubt, call your doctor. Even if the doctor isn't available, the office nurse will be able to talk with you and determine whether you should take your child to the ER. On weekends and evenings, doctors have answering services that allow them to get in touch with you if you leave a message.

Urgent Care Centers

Sometimes an injury or an illness isn't life threatening but needs medical attention on the same day. If that's the case, and your doctor doesn't have office hours at the time, consider going to an urgent care center.

Urgent care centers usually allow you to walk in without an appointment, just as you would in an ER. But they're equipped and staffed to treat minor, non-life-threatening issues. Patients usually will be seen by a doctor and also may be able to get X-rays or blood drawn.

Most of these clinics offer extended hours on evenings and on weekends for patients to receive treatment when the family doctor is not available. Some are open 24 hours a day every day.

Some cases where you might take your child to an urgent care center include:

• cuts
• minor injuries
• vomiting or diarrhea
• ear pain
• sore throat
• infected bug bites
• mild allergic reactions
• suspected sprain or broken bone
• minor animal bites

The doctors who work at freestanding urgent care centers often are ER doctors or family physicians who focus on treating adult and pediatric diseases. Some urgent care centers are also staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. The ERs in many children's hospitals have special sections for treatment of minor injuries and illnesses that are similar to an urgent care center.

Find out about the urgent care centers near you — before a situation comes up where you need to go to one. Your doctor may be able to recommend facilities in the area. In general, you should find a clinic that meets the state licensing requirements and is staffed by doctors who are board certified in their specialties, such as pediatrics, family medicine, or emergency medicine. Some of these clinics, in addition to accepting walk-in patients, allow you to call ahead to be seen. It's also a good idea to find out if the center accepts your family's insurance plan.

Talk with your doctor before your child gets sick about how to handle emergencies and inquire about the doctor's policy on addressing medical needs outside of office hours. Having that information ahead of time will mean one less thing to worry about when your child is sick!

Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD
Date reviewed: June 2009