When your child needs emergency medical attention, you want the best possible care, and you want it fast. For parents in Denver and southern Colorado, Children’s Colorado offers specialized pediatric emergency rooms staffed by expert emergency medicine doctors who understand the unique needs of children.
Why Choose a Pediatric Emergency Room for Your Child?
Children aren’t just small adults. Their bodies and emotional needs are different, especially in emergencies. That’s why choosing a pediatric emergency room is crucial. At Children’s Colorado, our emergency medicine doctors have years of extra training specifically in pediatrics. This specialized expertise makes a significant difference in how your child is treated during a stressful time.
Here are key advantages of opting for a children’s emergency room:
- Specialized Pediatric Doctors and Staff: Our team is not only highly skilled in emergency medicine but also trained to work with children. They know how to ease anxieties of both children and parents, making the experience less frightening.
- Deep Understanding of Children’s Conditions: From common childhood illnesses to rare conditions, our doctors are experts in diagnosing and treating the full spectrum of pediatric medical issues. They understand how children react differently to illnesses, injuries, medications, and treatments.
- Child-Sized Medical Equipment: Our emergency rooms are equipped with specialized tools and equipment designed specifically for children of all sizes, from infants to teenagers. This includes smaller needles, appropriately sized blood pressure cuffs, and more, ensuring comfort and accuracy in treatment.
- Lower Radiation Imaging: If your child requires imaging like X-rays or CT scans, our pediatric imaging specialists use advanced techniques to get clear images while minimizing radiation exposure, which is especially important for children.
- Seamless Communication with Your Child’s Doctor: After your visit, our emergency room doctors will contact your child’s primary care physician. This ensures that your child’s medical records are complete and up-to-date, and their doctor is informed about the emergency visit, test results, and any treatments given.
When to Bring Your Child to the Emergency Room
Emergency rooms are equipped to handle serious and life-threatening conditions around the clock. While it’s always best to err on the side of caution when it comes to your child’s health, here are some common conditions that warrant a trip to the emergency room:
- Severe Asthma Attack: Difficulty breathing even after using asthma medication.
- Serious Head Injuries: Head trauma accompanied by vomiting, changes in behavior, or decreased alertness.
- Intense Stomach Pain: Severe abdominal pain that is persistent and unexplained.
- Uncontrolled Seizures: Seizures that last for more than 5 minutes or occur in clusters.
- Deep Cuts or Skin Injuries: Lacerations with heavy bleeding that doesn’t stop with pressure.
- Severe Allergic Reactions: Signs of anaphylaxis such as difficulty breathing, swelling, or hives spreading rapidly.
- Broken Bones with Deformity or Open Wounds: Suspected fractures, especially if the bone is protruding or the limb is visibly deformed.
- Fevers in Infants Under 8 Weeks Old: Elevated temperature in very young babies requires immediate medical attention.
- Numbness, Paralysis, Weakness, or Vision Loss: Sudden onset of neurological symptoms.
- Objects Stuck in Skin or Eye: Foreign objects lodged in the body, especially the eye (do not attempt to remove it yourself).
- Swallowing a Button Battery: This is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention due to potential internal burns.
- Mental Health Crisis: Acute episodes of severe anxiety, depression, or other mental health emergencies.
- Suicide Attempt: Any indication of suicidal ideation or attempt requires immediate emergency intervention.
This list is not exhaustive. If you are ever concerned that your child is experiencing a medical emergency, do not hesitate. Go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 immediately.
Emergency Room or Urgent Care: Making the Right Choice
Deciding between an emergency room and urgent care can be confusing. For critical, life-threatening situations, the emergency room is always the right choice. Urgent care centers are better suited for minor illnesses and injuries that are not life-threatening but need prompt attention.
When in doubt, especially with children, it’s always wise to seek guidance. If you are unsure whether your child needs emergency care, call your pediatrician first. If your pediatrician’s office is closed or you don’t have one, Children’s Colorado offers a ParentSmart Healthline. You can call 720-777-0123 to speak with experienced pediatric nurses 24/7 who can provide advice and help you determine the best course of action for your child’s health.
In any emergency, knowing where to find expert “emergency medicine doctors near me” who specialize in pediatrics can provide immense peace of mind. Children’s Colorado is dedicated to providing that expert care when you need it most.
