Pediatric Urgent Care Center Or An Emergency Room: How To Know Where To Go
No matter how well you take care of your child, there will come a point when your child is very ill or has fallen and injured themselves. In some cases, the issue is minor and you can take care of the situation on your own at home. However, other times will require the assistance of a medical professional. If you can't get in to see your doctor or the issue is occurring after office hours, you need to decide whether you are making a trip to the pediatric urgent care center or if you need to take your child to the local hospital emergency room. Here are some tips to help you make that decision:
There Is The Possibility Of A Broken Bone
If you suspect that your child may have fractured or broken a bone, you will want to make a trip to the emergency room instead of the urgent care facility. This is because the doctor will want to have access to not only an x-ray machine but possibly an ultrasound or CAT scan if there is suspicion of internal injuries. You don't want to go to the urgent care center and after waiting to be seen find that you are then being directed to the nearest emergency room.
Cold Or Flu Symptoms
As long as your child is not experiencing drastically high temperatures, you can opt to take him or her to the pediatric urgent care center. They will be able to diagnose a cold or the flu and prescribe any medication that will be needed. If your child's temperature is very high and it is continuing to rise, you may want to call for an ambulance, as they can help with immediate treatment instead of you risking the potentially long wait in an emergency department waiting room.
Severe Stomach Pains
If your child is complaining of severe stomach pains, you will want to take him or her to the emergency room in case there is a problem with the appendix. If the pain is mild, as it would be expected with the flu, taking your child to the pediatric urgent care facility is just fine.
With those tips in mind, you should find that it is going to be a lot easier for you to decide whether you should go to the emergency room or the urgent care center whenever your little one needs medical attention.
