Taking your child to the emergency room can be stressful. But our care teams are ready to support you, and deliver the care that’s right for your child and your family. Our ER care teams start by listening. We check in with you frequently. And we work to quickly understand and treat your child’s illness or injury.
Emergency care, just for kids
Our children’s hospitals and all other Ascension emergency rooms provide family-centered pediatric ER care. Because children's medical needs are different from those of adults, our doctors and care teams are highly experienced and specially trained to care for kids and their specific medical needs. And our equipment is specifically designed for diagnosing and treating medical emergencies in kids, from infants to teens up to age 18. We work together to make tests and treatments as comfortable for your child as possible. And lab tests and X-rays are onsite — so you can get the care your child needs all in one place.
Caring for sudden, serious illness and injuries in children
Getting colds, bumps and bruises are all part of being a kid. When an illness becomes more severe or your child has a major injury, it may be time to take your child to the ER. Getting the emergency care your child needs when they need it is an important decision. Symptoms and signs that your child needs emergency care include:
- Trouble breathing
- Blue face & lips or pale coloring
- Chest pain
- Seizure
- Major injury or broken bone
- Severe allergic reaction
- Severe vomiting or diarrhea
- High fever
- Animal bite
- Other serious illness or injury
If your child needs follow-up pediatric specialty care, we have a large network of doctors experienced in a wide range of pediatric specialties in some locations. We’ll help connect you and your child with the right pediatric specialist after your ER visit.
If your child is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or dial 9-1-1. Signs or symptoms of an acute emergency in children may include: severe vomiting or diarrhea, blue face and lips or pale coloring, high fever, chest pain, seizure, trouble breathing, major injury or broken bone, severe allergic reaction, and animal bites.
Videos
ER Doctor treats child as if she were his own
Mom notices the tiny details that matter
