When Should You Take Your Child to the Emergency Room?

About half the people in an ER waiting room could be better cared for, more quickly, in a doctor's office. Deciding whether to take your child to the emergency room may not be easy. To help you make the right choice, Preferred Care offers the following information.

What IS an emergency?
Ask yourself these questions:

1. Is my child's life in immediate danger?
2. If I don't get help right away, will it permanently affect my child's health?

If your answer is "yes" to either question, you have an emergency.

Examples of emergencies with babies and children:

• Difficulty breathing
• Poisoning
• Bleeding that does not stop in 5 minutes
• Burns
• Coughing blood or vomiting blood
• Constant vomiting or diarrhea
• High fevers in infants
• Broken bones
• Dizziness
• Fainting

If your child has a life-threatening emergency, call your child's doctor right away and follow his or her instructions. Whenever possible, do not go to the emergency room before calling the doctor. An answering service for your doctor's office will take your call after regular hours and have someone call you back. But, if you are in a spot where you can't call your doctor first, then go right to an ER.

What is NOT an emergency?
Maybe you or your child has an injury or illness that is not an emergency, but still needs attention right away. Here are some examples:

• Sprained ankle
• Earache
• Cough or sore throat

For these things, call your child's doctor first. Do not go to the emergency room before calling the doctor. Tell the doctor's office your child needs an appointment for the same day or the very next day.

If your child is sick but it's not an emergency, try these self-care tips until you can see a doctor:

• A cold, the flu, or sore throat. Have the child drink plenty of water and juice. Give Tylenol® (or one of the other fever reducing medicines listed here) to relieve pain and discomfort.
• Cut or scrape. To stop the bleeding, press on the child's wound with a clean cloth. Wash with soap and water after the bleeding stops.
• Earache. Apply warm washcloths to the child's ear. For the pain, use Tylenol® .
• Fever. If the fever is 103°F or lower, it's not an emergency, except for babies less than 2 months old. Use Tylenol ® to reduce fever.

Posted: September 2004

September is Baby Safety Month

For information on child safety topics, from car seats to crib and playground safety, visit Preferred Care's online Health Encyclopedia.