Common Reasons to Bring Your Child to Urgent Care

​​As a parent, seeing your child get hurt or come down with an illness can be downright awful. The last thing you’d ever want is for your child to be in pain. Naturally, you’ll want to seek out medical care as quickly as possible

But while your child’s pediatrician can be an excellent source for treatment, securing an appointment can be tough. Some situations require quick attention; waiting a few days to be seen simply may not be an option. However, going to the emergency room may not be the best choice, either. If the situation is not life-threatening, you could end up waiting around and paying an astronomical amount of money for treatment that could be provided elsewhere. A facility that offers children's urgent care may very well provide the treatment your family needs. And because there were a reported 7,357 urgent care centers throughout the U.S. in 2016, there’s bound to be one near you. Below, you’ll find a few situations that can be deftly handled by 24 hour urgent care locations in your area.

• Ear Infection: Many children experience ear infections, particularly during their early years. This condition can be extremely uncomfortable and painful, as well as unpredictable. While this situation may not be inherently life-threatening, it does need to be treated quickly. If you notice your child is rubbing or tugging at their ear, is crying, has a fever, experiences fluid draining from the ear, or has trouble hearing or balancing, you should head to a local urgent care center for rapid treatment. Note that you should always opt to go to the ER if your young child has a very high fever, as this can present additional dangers and complications.
• Sports Injury: If your child is injured while playing their favorite sport, you may be wise to seek out treatment at a facility that specializes in childrens urgent care. Although some very serious injuries may require hospital care, most sports injuries (including sprains, strains, fractures, and even bone breaks) can be treated more quickly at a walk-in clinic. And because these facilities offer after-hours treatment, your child won’t have to wait until an appointment can be secured or be required to spend all night in the waiting room at the ER.
• Cold or Strep: When your kid comes down with a cold or might have strep, you can certainly wait for an appointment with their doctor. But doing so could allow them to potentially spread their illness or simply feel miserable for a longer period of time. The more quickly you can obtain a definitive diagnosis, the more quickly your child will start to feel better. Many children's urgent care facilities can provide advanced diagnostic and laboratory services — which means you don’t have to go to the pediatrician’s office to have a rapid strep test performed.

Next time your child needs immediate medical attention in a non-life-threatening situation, consider seeking out a children's urgent care facility nearby. That way, you won’t have to compromise on treatment quality, speed of service, or costs. For further information, please contact us today.