Pediatric Urgent Care Guide: Everything You Need to Know

If you are a parent, you have likely taken your child to a pediatric urgent care center near you. But what exactly does this type of medical facility do? It’s important to know how urgent care centers operate because their children may need emergency treatment in the future.

What Is Pediatric Urgent Care?

Pediatric urgent care centers are designed specifically to provide medical care for children who have minor medical issues that need immediate attention but aren’t serious enough to require a trip to the emergency room.

What Happens When You Take Your Child to an Urgent Care Center?

Upon arrival at the pediatric urgent care in Katy, you’ll be checked in with the triage nurse. She will note down your child’s symptoms and ask about how long they’ve been occurring. Then you will be taken into a room where the doctor will come in to perform an examination.

It’s vital to have a list of your child’s allergies, medications, and doctors on hand. If your child has any pre-existing medical conditions – such as asthma – it’s important to note down their current status and any necessary action to take during an urgent care visit. Make sure you remember the pediatrician’s name and consider bringing along any medical records or reports.

The doctor will make sure your child is properly diagnosed, and they can order tests if necessary. He will prescribe the treatment only if it is necessary for your child’s safety or comfort. If you have concerns about the diagnosis or treatment, you can ask to speak with the doctor in charge of your child’s case.

Why Go to a Pediatric Urgent Care Center?

There are several reasons why a child may need to go to a toddler’s urgent care center near you;

  • You suspect that your child has a life-threatening condition.
  • Your child needs medical attention, but the symptoms aren’t serious enough to warrant going to an emergency room, and you won’t be able to see their regular doctor for a few days.

Many parents have been told that their child needs to be seen right away only to find out later that it could have waited a few days. If you go to an emergency room for non-life-threatening symptoms, your bill will likely be very high.

What Is the Difference Between Urgent Care and Emergency Room?

The biggest difference between kid’s urgent care and emergency rooms is the amount of time you’ll spend waiting.
An urgent care center sees patients who need immediate but not life-threatening medical attention, while an emergency room (ER) treats critical emergencies like broken bones or serious illness.
According to a study by the PEMED Foundation, urgent care visits cost 45% less than emergency room visits. And since most insurance plans cover urgent care services, you’ll pay less out-of-pocket for receiving treatment at an urgent care clinic rather than an ER.

In addition, PEMED found that patients who received medical care at an urgent care center were more likely to receive follow-up services than patients who visited the ER.

Things to Know Before Going to an Urgent Care Center With Your Child

  • Pediatric urgent care is an extension of your child’s doctor that provides advanced medical services to children and adolescents. Pediatric urgent care tends to be much less crowded than the emergency room but still has equipment such as X-ray machines and trained physicians on staff.
  • Pediatric urgent care is great for children who are sick or injured. It can provide your child with treatment for common childhood ailments like colds and broken bones. Pediatric urgent care centers also treat serious injuries like concussions and fractures. Pediatric urgent care usually accepts walk-ins.
  • Pediatric urgent care is the best place to go if your child has a fever over 100 degrees, is having difficulty breathing, can’t walk or use a limb, has suffered head trauma, or has uncontrollable bleeding. Pediatric urgent care can also treat ear infections, minor burns, animal bites, rashes, and other common injuries your child may experience when they’re young.

Visit Preferred Urgent Care for more information on pediatric urgent care.

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