Urgent Care or Emergency Department?

What To Do When Illnesses and Injuries Happen

Sometimes it is hard to know what level of care your child needs. The following information will help you make that decision.

Table caption
CONDITION	PRIMARY CARE	URGENT CARE	EMER. DEPT.
Allergies	X	X
Allergic reactions (no breathing problems)	X	X
Asthma attack (minor)	X	X
Asthma attack (severe)			X
Bleeding that won't stop			X
Broken bone (sticking out of skin)			X
Broken bone (not sticking out of skin)		X
Burn (severe)			X
Burn (minor)	X	X
Button battery ingestion			X
Cast problem (soiled or wet)		X
Cold	X	X
Cough	X	X
Cut (severe)			X
Cut (needs stitches)		X
Dehydration			X
Diarrhea	X	X
Dizziness	X	X
Earache and ear infection	X	X
Fainting			X
Fever over 100.5 (infants less than 2 months old)			X
Fever over 100.5 (children over 2 months old)	X	X
Headache	X	X
Head injury (minor and without loss of consciousness)	X	X
Head injury (with loss of consciousness)			X
Insect or minor dog bite	X	X
Mental Health Issues - Non-Urgent (Depression, anxiety, etc.)	X
Mental Health Issues - Emergency (Violent behavior and suicidal thoughts)			X
Migraine headache not responding to home medications			X
Nausea	X	X
Pink eye	X	X
Pneumonia	X	X
Poisoning (call Poison Control at (800) 222-1222			X
Rash	X	X
Seizure			X
Shock			X
Sickle cell disease with pain crisis or fever			X
Sore throat	X	X
Sprain or strain	X	X
Stomach pain (mild)	X	X
Stomach pain (severe)			X
Swallowing object	X	X
- Possible button battery ingestion			X
Tracheostomy, G-tube and NG/ND tube issues	Please contact your provider for instructions.
Trouble breathing			X
Urinary infection	X	X

Primary Care

Your child's medical home
Best place for regular care, including:
- Well-child checkups
- Physicals
- Flu shots and other vaccines
- Common illnesses and minor injuries

Urgent Care

For minor injuries and illnesses
When your pediatrician is not available
No appointment needed

Emergency Department

For serious injuries
Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
No appointment needed

If you think your child's illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

Sick or Injured After Hours?

CHKD understands that kids often get sick or hurt when their doctors’ offices are closed. When illnesses and injuries are not life threatening, but you want immediate care from someone who knows how to take care of your child, turn to CHKD Urgent Care.

Urgent care is not intended for emergencies, but is appropriate for minor illnesses and injuries.

In case of an emergency, please go to CHKD's Emergency Department. And remember, if your child's illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

Poison Control

(800) 222-1222

Website: www.aapcc.org