When To Take Your Child to The ER

It’s a familiar scene to many parents—that agonizing moment, perhaps late at night, when your child is miserable, you’re exhausted, and you’re trying to decide if a trip to the emergency room is necessary.

While it’s a great solution for truly emergent problems, ERs are often overused. A 2018 report compiled by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) states that there were 30 million emergency room visits for children under 18 in 2015, and almost 97% of these were “treat and release,” meaning patients did not require care beyond the ER. An appointment with your pediatrician may be the better option depending on your child’s symptoms. Consider the following the next time you’re wondering where to take a sick or hurting child:

Emergency Rooms should be reserved for serious conditions.



Your pediatrician understands that nothing compares to a worried parent, but the ER should not be used as a first resort unless absolutely necessary. The table below may be used as a guide to worthwhile ER utilization. You will see that most ER conditions are quite specific, whereas a primary care physician can treat a wide range of issues.