Doctor, Urgent Care, or ER – Which One is Best for My Sick Child?

Urgent Care and ER in Chicago

When your child is sick, you may wonder whether they need a doctor, urgent care, or ER to help them feel better. It can all depend on how your child is doing at the time.

It’s the weekend, your children have been wrestling around and you a hear “OW!” followed by tears. Perhaps your child has been complaining of an upset stomach and suddenly starts vomiting. It could be your child is pulling on their ear and crying. You don’t think it’s serious but you also want to be sure. Do you call our office? Head to Alzein Pediatrics Urgent Care? Maybe the nearest hospital emergency room?

Angela Boomsma is here to help you make the right decision for your child’s health and your peace of mind. Angela recommends following these guidelines for common health situations:

Does My Child Need a Doctor, Urgent Care, or ER?

Fever

Go to your nearest Emergency Room when:

• Your infant under three months old has a fever over 100.4°F
• Whenever a temperature hits 105°F or above and is not responding to Tylenol or Motrin.
• When your child has neck stiffness or confusion

Call our office or go to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care when your child older than 3 months:

• Whenever a temperature hits 105°F or above
• When a fever has lasted more than three days
• When the fever does not respond to ibuprofen or acetaminophen within 2 hours

Head Injury

Go to your nearest Emergency Room when:

• Your child may have lost consciousness
• Is sensitive to light and noises
• There is a cut and/or bleeding from the head

Go to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care when:

• Your child did not lose consciousness but has a slight headache

Possible broken bone, sprain or dislocation

Go to your nearest Emergency Room when:

• The skin in broken and bones are visible
• The limb is deformed by the incident, uneven or “bumpy”, a sign of misalignment
• Your child cannot use the affected limb, foot or hand

Go to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care when:

• Your child can use the affected limb, foot or hand but with moderate discomfort. Note: We do not have radiology/X-ray on sight.

Call our office when:

• Your child can use the affected limb, foot or hand with mild discomfort

Respiratory Illness or Breathing Difficulties

Go to your nearest Emergency Room when:

• Your child is gasping for breath, panting or has trouble talking
• Your child has a severe asthma attack

Go to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care when:

• Your child has a mild asthma attack
• Your child has a barking cough or congestion
• Your child has noisy breathing, but is not struggling to breathe

Call our office when:

• Your child has a mild cough

Stomachache, Nausea, Vomiting and Diarrhea

Go to your nearest Emergency Room when:

• There is blood in your child’s bowel movement or vomit
• There is severe pain in the abdomen and they cannot walk or hop in place
• Your child cannot keep down any liquids and hasn’t urinated in 8 hours

Go to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care when:

• Diarrhea or vomiting lasts for more than two days but child is drinking and urinating

Call our office when:

• Diarrhea or vomiting lasts for more than one day but child is drinking

Cuts, Bleeding and Lacerations

Go to your nearest Emergency Room when:

• The cut is severe and deep, requiring stitches
• Bleeding is unable to be stopped with pressure

Go to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care when:

• The cut may only require skin glue or steri strips

Earaches

Go to your nearest Emergency Room when:

• There has been trauma with a foreign object to the ear canal/eardrum

Go to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care when:

• Ear pain or fever has lasted more than two days

Call our office when:

• Your child is complaining of ear pain or pulling their ear for more than one day

Eyes

Go to your nearest Emergency Room when:

Your child suddenly cannot see or complains of flashes, spots or streaks

Eyes have been exposed to foreign objects or chemicals

Go to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care when:

• Eyes are red and swollen
• There is discharge or crusting around the eye
• Eyes itch or water

Always go to your nearest hospital Emergency Room if:

• Your child has had a seizure
• Your child has signs of dehydration, such as very dry lips and mouth, absence of urination for more than 8 hours, lethargy (very sleepy, deep unresponsiveness and inactivity) and confusion
• Gaping cuts on the face, especially in younger children who need sedation or behavioral support while the laceration is being repaired.

While the Emergency Room should certainly be the answer if the illness or injury is life- or limb-threatening, going to the Emergency Room for a situation that can be handled in our office or Urgent Care should always be avoided. ERs treat patients in order of need, from the most serious to minor ailments. When you take your child to the ER because they have a cough, you will likely wait for a very long time and continue to be “bumped” as more life-threatening cases arrive. ERs are generally much more expensive than a visit to our office or to Alzein Pediatric Urgent Care. ERs are also filled with very sick people, and your child – and you – could end up contracting a more serious illness.

In most cases, your first step in an illness or injury should be calling our office at 708-424-7600. We can help you decide if an office visit or Urgent Care is the best choice. Urgent Care is the perfect solution for children that need medical care for fevers, sore throats, minor injuries, rashes and infections.