What to do if your kid is sick (hint: don’t run to the emergency room)
Respiratory illness, seasonal flu and classroom germs are back in full force
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital provides a tool to help caregivers better understand what level of care your child needs to help them heal. Getting the wrong level of care for your child will create delays in their treatment — and possibly the treatment of others.
The emergency department (ED) does not see patients on a first-come, first-served basis. Children are seen based on who is sickest.
The emergency department, like all other providers and urgent care locations, is seeing long wait times. If you choose to go to the ED for a test, you could wait up to eight hours due to high volumes of sick children. Please consider using the resource guide below when making the decision on where to seek care for your child.
“We understand that it can be scary when your child is sick or injured. It’s really important that you get the appropriate level of care for them so they can be treated as soon as possible,” says Leah Wagner, RN, CPEN, nurse manager of Mary Bridge Children’s ED. “It can be helpful to know which symptoms warrant a trip to the emergency department and which ones are better treated by your primary care provider or at one of our urgent care locations.”
Unless your child is dealing with serious or life-threatening injuries or illnesses, Mary Bridge Children’s urges families to recognize when — and when not — to seek emergency-level care.
As the state-designated Level II Pediatric Trauma Center and a pediatric hospital receiving patients from all around the region, Mary Bridge Children’s ED often treats patients who need a higher level of care than what’s available at urgent care or other emergency rooms — or those who are awaiting transfer to Mary Bridge Children’s pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) or medical-surgical unit.
What kind of care should you get for your child?
Mary Bridge Children’s offers a wide network of pediatric services, ranging from primary care to urgent care with in-office and virtual appointment options. Find a provider or clinic location near you or call 253-792-6630.