When a child is unwell, especially outside of business hours, parents need to make a quick decision: Where to turn for medical care. Although the first response for many is to seek help from a pediatrician, only about half of parents polled feel “very confident” they could get a same-day appointment.
However, for the late night fevers or the nasty weekend scrapes, many worried parents head to the Emergency Room (ER). Oftentimes, that’s not the best plan to follow. Long wait times, crowded rooms, and the high cost of care make the ER a less than ideal place for kids. But pediatric urgent care—the fastest growing segment of urgent care medicine—can be a far better option.
Most pediatric urgent care centers are available most times of the day and night. It is strongly recommended that families visit a pediatric urgent care center unless the child is suffering from a life-threatening emergency. Some conditions which may demand immediate ER care are difficulty in breathing, heavy bleeding, possible broken bones, deep wounds, and severe burns.
Here’s what you can expect from a pediatric urgent care center
Your primary doctor is here to help: When in doubt, call your pediatrician. Although an appointment might not be available, you will be able to speak to the doctor or a pediatric nurse. A quick, telephone consultation is enough for minor ailments such as colds, sore throats, ear aches, fevers, and vomiting.
Consider delaying your visit just a bit: There’s nothing wrong with asking for advice, but some parents seek in-person care prematurely—when it’s hard to tell what’s going on because the symptoms haven’t had enough time to develop. Dropping in too early could result in return trips.
E-communication (Telemedicine) is also possible: Response times can vary, but parents should also try using an electronic patient portal to contact their practitioner. The method is ideal for asking general questions and requesting prescription refills.
How to Choose a Pediatric Urgent Care for Kids?
Here are a few questions to help you evaluate your options for an urgent care center:
Do they work with your usual pediatrician on any follow-up care?
Do they offer a kid-friendly environment?
Are they staffed by board-certified pediatricians or family medicine physicians who are trained in treating children?
Pediatric Urgent Care Services with Agile Urgent Care!
Agile Urgent Care is available for you and your family 365 days a year to offer the best family health services. Forget costly emergency rooms for minor injuries and illnesses. We offer a variety of medical services, including adult, pediatric, occupational health medicine and specialty services. Count on us to meet your medical needs.
