Know Where to Get Care After Hours
- When to Call 911
- When to Take Your Child to an Emergency Department
- When to Take Your Child to Urgent Care
When to Call 911
Call 911 if your child:
- Has severe trouble breathing, gasping for breath.
- Is unable to be aroused or unresponsive.
- Is unconscious after a head injury.
- Is having an active seizure.
- Has severe bleeding from a wound that will not stop with pressure.
When to Take Your Child to an Emergency Department
Head to the nearest emergency department if your child:
- Is younger than 2 months and has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
- Has a suspected fracture with visible swelling or unevenness and bumps in the injured area (a displaced bone requires realignment under sedation).
- Has ingested a poisonous substance or taken too much medicine. Consider calling poison control (1-800-222-1222) first if your child is stable.
- Has a severe burn, such as deep burns covering large parts of the body surface, or on the face, extremities or genitalia).
- Has severe headache.
- Has hit his head and lost consciousness briefly.
- Has changes in alertness or unusual trouble waking.
- Shows signs of dehydration, including very dry lips and mouth, absence of urination for more than 12 hours, and lethargy and confusion.
- Has trouble breathing (including heavy, fast breathing).
- Has persistent chest pain or pressure.
- Has deep open wound that does not stop bleeding with pressure.
- Has thoughts of hurting self or others.
- Had a seizure.
- Has fever above 105°F.
- Has possibly swallowed a button battery.
The staff of Jeffers, Mann & Artman Pediatrics has created this list of Children's Emergency Departments for your reference if your child needs emergency care after hours.
Pediatric Emergency Departments
When to Take Your Child to Urgent Care
Consider taking your child to a pediatric urgent care center (rather than an Emergency Department) when a JMA provider is not available, if your child:
- Has a fever with or without cold symptoms.
- Has a cough.
- Has ear pain.
- Is tugging at his/her ear and might have an ear infection.
- Has a sore throat.
- Has red, inflamed eyes with or without drainage.
- Has mild wheezing but is not having trouble breathing.
- Is having an allergic reaction but is not having trouble breathing.
- Has a mild skin rash.
- Is vomiting or has diarrhea.
- Has constipation.
- Has abdominal pain.
- Has pain with or frequency of urination.
- Has a headache or migraine without numbness, tingling or weakness.
- Had a seizure with fever that stops on its own.
- Has a minor cut that may or may not need stitches.
- Has a possible skin infection.
- Has a minor burn.
- May have a sprain or minor bone fracture, and the bone is not coming out of the skin.
- Needs an X-ray.
- Has a possible head injury, but has not lost consciousness.
The staff of Jeffers, Mann & Artman Pediatrics has created this list of Urgent Care Centers for your reference if your child needs urgent care after hours.
