MountainView Hospital - August 14, 2018

Going to the ER with your child can be unnerving, but it is something that most parents eventually experience. You can make the process easier on both you and your child with a little knowledge about what to expect. When your child needs emergency care, keep this advice in mind.

If you’re calm and honest, your child will be more relaxed

Going to the hospital with your child is sure to make you nervous, but your child will be looking to you for cues about how to feel. If you are anxious, then your child will feel anxious as well. Stay calm, and your child will feel more comfortable, which in turn will it easier for him or her to get the necessary emergency care.

Resist the urge to reassure your child by saying things that you aren’t sure are correct. For example, don’t tell your child that he or she won’t have to have a shot if you don’t know for sure that an injection won’t be necessary. Be honest about what to expect at the ER in an age-appropriate way.

You may not get seen by a doctor before other patients

At the ER, patients are seen in order of medical need, not the order in which they arrived. If your child needs stitches for a cut, but someone else arrives who may be having a stroke or heart attack, that patient will receive care before your child. This system ensures that people with life-threatening emergencies get the treatment they need quickly.

Since you know your child the best, it is OK to speak up if you think that your child’s symptoms are getting worse and that he or she needs more urgent attention.

You will need your child’s medical information

You will need to answer multiple questions about your child’s symptoms and his or her health history. Be prepared to answer questions about his or her medications and doses, when he or she last ate, and his or her known allergies. You will also need your child’s pediatrician’s information.

Consider keeping medical histories for all of your kids on your phone, so you always have it when you need it.

MountainView Hospital provides emergency care around the clock for patients of all ages. Trust our ER when your little ones need urgent medical care. To learn more about emergency care in Las Vegas, call (702) 962-5021.