What Does Your Child Need: Pediatrician’s Office, Urgent Care, or Emergency Room?

When your child is sick or injured, how do you know if it's time to call their pediatrician, go to urgent care, or head to the emergency department? It can be confusing to know which of these options is the best place to be.

Dr. Rudy Kink, pediatric emergency medicine physician at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, breaks down different circumstances for each.

Two Primary Factors: Availability and Severity

In some cases, where you go really depends on the time of day. Many pediatrician’s offices only operate from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., so if concerns occur outside of those hours, the next best option would be urgent care. However, if the office is open, that’s the ideal place to be for issues like a simple fever, headache, earache or sore throat.

For something more serious, such as a cut, possible broken bone, or sprain, urgent care is an acceptable option. “Your first call can be to your pediatrician's office, and you can ask them their recommendation. Usually, there is someone on call 24/7,” advises Dr. Kink.

Anything potentially life-threatening—appendicitis, trouble breathing, blood sugar issues due to diabetes, a food allergy reaction, or snake bite—requires a trip to the emergency department. Of course, if your child is involved in a motor vehicle accident, the emergency room is also appropriate, typically via transport by paramedics.

Importance of Parent Experience and Intuition

While some parents tend to be overly cautious, others take more of a “wait and see” approach. This is okay—in certain situations. If multiple members of a family come down with a stomach bug or develop a fever, it’s probably something that will pass without needing medical intervention outside the home. Parents who have more than one child really come to understand what instigates a doctor’s visit.

That said, if a fever persists for longer than 12 hours or the child is experiencing severe pain (headache or abdominal pain), they really need to be seen, particularly if their activity is decreased and they refuse to eat or drink. Another situation would be a cut that continues to bleed for more than 5-10 minutes and might need stitches. A fall that leads to persistent pain should be seen by a physician as soon as possible.

“It's more knowing your child and what your child is doing after the injury or illness. If you see that they're not really getting back to themselves after 30-40 minutes, they really should be evaluated,” states Dr. Kink. “As a parent, listen to your inner voice. If you truly feel your child is sick or injured and their activity has decreased and they're not themselves, they need to be seen. But, if they're back to playing, but just not 100%, you should rest assured your child most likely will be fine.”

What Happens in the Emergency Room?

When a child comes to the emergency room at Le Bonheur, triage nurses assess vital signs and inquire about the injury or complaint. Based on that information, these nurses assign them a level from one to five. Level one is very serious, life-threatening. Level five is not dire but still requires the aid of a medical professional.

“We see the most critical children first. Even though you may have to wait, be assured your child will be seen and evaluated in a timely manner,” shares Dr. Kink. “Our nurses are always there in the triage, assessing and keeping an eye on those children while they wait to be seen.”