As parents, guardians, and adults who live in the same household as little children, you need to ensure that they don’t do anything to hurt themselves by mistake. However, the reality is that accidents do happen. When they do, it is crucial to know what to do.
There are two types of medical facilities that cater to health concerns. You can either bring your child to a hospital emergency room, or you can opt to take them to an urgent care center. Which one is which? How can you know which facility will work better for your child’s situation?
Understandably, there may be some level of confusion on this front. The following article will shed some light on when visiting an urgent care center will work to your advantage.
5 Common Reasons for Pediatric Urgent Care Visits
Accidents happen, they don’t choose to happen when everything is convenient. If your regular doctor’s office is closed, and you have a child that has a non-life threatening medical condition, it is best to take them to an urgent care center. Here are some common reasons for pediatric urgent care consults.
1 – High Fever
High fevers that occur in children have various causes. Keep in mind that fevers are usually indicators of infection or other conditions that may not be immediately apparent. Low-grade fevers are usually nothing to worry about, but if your child has a high fever, it is best to take them to an urgent care center to get checked by a doctor.
2 – Upper Respiratory Infections
Urgent care centers are no stranger to upper respiratory infections. Instead of going to an emergency room where you will probably need to wait for hours on end, an urgent care center’s medical professionals and facilities will be able to diagnose and provide treatment for your little one’s URTI.
3 – Superficial Injuries
It may be easy to start worrying when your child falls over and scrapes their knee. A bleeding wound can make anyone, especially a parent, worried and anxious. However, bleeding wounds, no matter how daunting and frightening they may seem, are rarely life threatening. If they need stitches, they will be able to get the proper treatment by visiting an urgent care center.
4 – Ear Pain
Ear pain is a common occurrence in children. This may be a sign of an ear infection that may require the attention of a doctor. The medical staff at an urgent care center will be able to take a look at your child’s ear and provide the necessary medicines and treatment.
5 – Sprains
There is no need to bring your child to an emergency room just for a simple sprain. If they are in pain, try to immobilize the affected limb as you drive them over to urgent care.
Conclusion
Naturally, parents of injured or sick children will want to get treatment for their child as soon as possible. The best way to do this is to visit an urgent care center. If your child has one of the medical issues mentioned above, or if they have any other issue that is urgent but isn’t life threatening, take them to the nearest urgent care center. There are trained medical professionals on call at these centers that will be ready to administer swift treatment for what your child needs.
Having the contact information of an urgent care center on hand in case you need it is a good idea. If you need urgent care, contact Agile Urgent Care. a full-service, walk-in, medical facility providing convenient, state-of-the-art, and affordable service for injuries or illnesses that can’t wait for your regular doctor but aren’t serious enough for a costly emergency room visit. Our doctors and nurses treat children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients. Come in for a consult today!
