When Is Urgent Care The Right Option For Your Baby?

Watching your child suffer with illness or injury can be very hard for any parent. In those moments, it can be difficult to make a clear-headed decision about whether your child's medical needs can wait until your pediatrician can see them, or whether you need to take them to urgent care. Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether to take your child to urgent care.

Urgent care is appropriate in cases where your child has a condition that is not life-threatening. Life threatening illness or injuries should always be dealt with by calling 911 or taking your child to the emergency room. If you are uncertain whether your child's injury is life-threatening, err on the side of caution and call 911. If your child has an illness that is not life-threatening but cannot wait until you can get an appointment with your regular pediatrician, urgent care is the right place for your child. If you are not sure if your child's condition requires immediate medical attention, it is best to call your pediatrician and get his or her professional opinion.

Pediatric Specialty: Many urgent care centers do not specialize in treating children, but there are more and more options these days for pediatric urgent care centers. Pediatric urgent care centers are designed to put children at ease. At pediatric urgent care centers, you will find doctors and staff who specialize in treating children. If there is no pediatric urgent care center in your area, the staff and doctors at your closest urgent care center will be able to treat your child.

Cost: Urgent care visits are covered by many insurance companies. Most insurance companies charge more for urgent care visits than for visits to your regular pediatrician, and more for emergency room visits than urgent care visits. With or without insurance, however, going to urgent care is always cheaper than visiting the emergency room. It is also less intimidating and scary for your child than a visit to the ER.

Medical History: When your child visits his or her pediatrician, the doctor has access to and a familiarity with your child's medical history. Urgent care doctors, on the other hand, do not know your child's medical history. This means that you as a parent need to be aware of the way you communicate with urgent care doctors. Be sure to tell them as much as you can about your child's condition and history. It is always a good idea to follow up an urgent care visit with a visit to your child's pediatrician.

With so many options available for your child's healthcare, he or she will be able to get the help they need at any hour of the day or night. For more information, contact Harrison Medical Center or a similar location.

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