Children live rough-and-tumble lives as they play, grow and explore, so some bumps and bruises are likely. However, when kids suddenly experience serious illness or injury, parents and caregivers may have several questions during this stressful time. These may include:
- Is this a serious medical condition that needs immediate attention?
- If so, is it best to go to the emergency department or urgent care?
- Should I call for an ambulance?
- How do I decide which level of care is the best fit?
- How are the emergency department and urgent care different?
“We understand how frightening it can be when your child is in distress,” says Dr. William Kumprey, Associate Chief Medical Officer of ThedaCare Emergency Medicine. “Understanding your options in advance can help you keep calm when medical emergencies arise.”
When to Choose Emergency Care
“Emergency care is for medical emergencies when a delay could be harmful or even life-threatening,” Dr. Kumprey says.
Consider going to the emergency department for:
- Respiratory distress like trouble breathing, wheezing or rapid breathing that could indicate severe asthma or infection.
- High fevers in the setting of infants and/or if accompanied by other concerning symptoms like lethargy, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain or skin rash.
- Seizures, especially if new onset, repetitive or prolonged, as they require immediate attention to determine the cause and proper treatment.
- Severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis that can lead to rapid breathing and throat swelling.
- Injuries and accidents, including serious fractures or sprains with a deformity or difficulty bearing weight or using the extremity. Large or deep cuts and significant head injuries also warrant a visit to the emergency department.
- Moderate to severe dehydration, especially from prolonged vomiting and diarrhea with concerning lethargy or significant weakness.
- Ingestion of poison or other harmful substances.
Is an Ambulance Necessary?
Dr. Kumprey recommends that parents call an ambulance if a child’s condition is potentially life-threatening, like difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, heavy bleeding or serious head injury.
“Another reason to call 911 is if moving the person might cause more injuries, like after a serious fall or other physical trauma,” he says.
When to Choose Urgent Care
Urgent and walk-in care offer prompt care for non-life-threatening injuries. They often serve as a bridge between primary care and emergency services. Urgent and walk-in care clinics typically offer early evening and weekend hours, along with daytime hours.
A good guideline for when to choose urgent care is when your child needs prompt attention but their regular family medicine physician or pediatrician isn’t available. Urgent and walk-in care also is a great option if you’re seeking extended or more flexible hours, such as weekend or holiday care.
“If you can picture yourself going to your regular physician’s office with your health concern — if they were immediately available — that’s a good sign that urgent care is a good choice for your situation,” Dr. Kumprey says.
Additionally, if the urgent care clinician identifies a more serious condition, they can collaborate with the emergency department team to expedite a transfer to the emergency department.
Additional Considerations
Patients and families may encounter shorter wait times in urgent and walk-in care compared to the emergency department at a hospital. Depending on an individual’s insurance coverage, urgent care also may cost less.
Emergency departments have specialized equipment and staff for critical care, while urgent care centers offer resources for less-serious conditions. Services at urgent and walk-in care often include X-rays and labs.
“Please remember that if parents are unsure about the severity of a medical situation, it’s generally best to err on the side of caution and go to the emergency department if you believe the condition is serious,” Dr. Kumprey says.
Convenient Options
The newly opened ThedaCare Medical Center-Fond du Lac offers around-the-clock emergency and inpatient care, as well as diagnostic imaging, outpatient lab services, and cardiovascular and neurology care.
Patients and families in the Fond du Lac area also may choose to visit ThedaCare Urgent Care-Oshkosh, open seven days a week. Use “I’m On My Way” to streamline your check-in experience.
“Regardless of where you receive care, you can expect a seamless and coordinated experience,” Dr. Kumprey says. “Our teams ensure continuity of care for the patients we’re privileged to serve.”
