Is This an Emergency?

If you are experiencing a medical emergency please call 9-1-1 for an ambulance or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Sometimes it can be difficult to know when you should call your child's doctor, or go to urgent care or the emergency department. The following chart can help you decide if your child needs primary, urgent or emergency care. You can also print a chart to keep handy in a visible location or in your FREE Health Care Notebook.

Cook Children's Emergencies Guide | Know where to go

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Allergies

Allergic reactions

Asthma attack (mild wheezing)

Asthma attack (wheezing/trouble breathing)

Bites/stings

Broken bones (visible, obvious deformity)

Broken bones

Burn (minor)

Burn (serious, including eyes, electrical or acid burns, infection or blister)

Cast-related problems (after hours)

Cold/cough

Cut (minor)

Cut (bleeding that won't stop)

Dehydration

Diarrhea

Earache/ear infection

Fainting due to exercise or activity

Fainting

Fever (child is older than 2 months and has no other medical problems)

Fever (child is younger than 2 months)

Flu

Head injury (no loss of consciousness or other concerns)

Head injury (loss of consciousness, confusion, vomiting)

Laryngitis

Migraine headache

Nosebleed (not resulting from an injury to the face/nose)

Pink eye

Poisoning

Rash

Respiratory conditions/wheezing/pneumonia/croup (without severe breathing problems)

Respiratory conditions/wheezing/pneumonia/croup (with severe breathing problems)

Seizure

Shock

Sinus infection

Sore throat

Sprain/strain

Stomachache

Swallowed object (no problems swallowing)

Swallowed object (problems swallowing)

Swallowed object (battery, magnet)

Urinary tract infection

Vomiting (not as a result of injury)

What to do in an emergency

Remain calm and call 9-1-1
Begin CPR, if the child is not breathing
In the case of a seizure, place the child on the floor so that his/her body and head are turned to the side
If your child is bleeding, apply a clean cloth and constant pressure to the wound
Never move a child who is injured unless there is an immediate danger, like smoke inhalation or a fire
If you suspect a poisoning, gather up any poisons, medications, etc., that you suspect your child has swallowed and take them with you to the emergency department

Medical emergencies: are you prepared?

Childhood should be simple, but sometimes things get complicated. When, and even before that happens, we're here to help.

If you have children, you will likely experience a medical emergency at some point in time. So it's a good idea to have an action plan ready. Following are tips and tools to help you take the appropriate action.

When to call Poison Control

If you think your child has swallowed anything poisonous, or touched something poisonous, you should immediately call poison control. Don't wait for the victim to look or feel sick. Do not try to treat the person yourself, this could result in even more serious damage.

Accidental poisoning

Bath salts
Button batteries
Carbon monoxide
e-Cigarette devices
Energy drinks
Household cleaners (including laundry and dish packets)
Liquor (this includes beer and wine)
Medicine (including vitamins and herbal supplements)
Plants
Snakes, spiders, or other venomous creatures

Cook Children's poison prevention sheet

Helpful links

When to call 9-1-1

If your child is unconscious, a bone is sticking out or the situation seems critical, dial 9-1-1 immediately for an ambulance. When your child's condition is life threatening or might cause permanent harm, it is safer for your child to be transported via ambulance.

If you are calling 9-1-1 from a cell phone be prepared to tell them your location and address.

Injuries or accidents that may result in a trip to the emergency room:

Choking
Electrical shocks
Falls
Guns, knives, and other weapons
Near drownings

Emergency

If your child is ill or injured, the following signs may suggest the need for emergency care:

Bleeding that won't stop after applying pressure for five minutes
Broken bones
Burn that is large, especially if it includes the chest, face, feet, groin or hands
Cut or gash that is large or deep
Fainting or loss of consciousness or if your child seems confused or disoriented
Head injuries that cause loss of consciousness, dizziness, or extreme sleepiness
High fever in infants under two months
Injuries caused by a car or motorcycle crash, or if your child has been hit by a moving vehicle
Injury from a high fall
Loss of consciousness, confusion, headache or vomiting as the result of a head injury
Pain that is persistent and/or increases in intensity
Seizures
Severe headaches
Stiff neck and/or a rash with high fever
Trouble breathing
Unexplained seizure

Urgent Care

Sometimes things happen when you just can't get to your pediatrician's office. Cook Children's urgent care centers are available to treat injuries and illnesses that don't need to be seen by an emergency department, but do need to be seen by a pediatrician. Here you can get things like X-rays, stitches, and care for minor injuries that aren't life threatening yet require medical attention the same day.

Asthma
Diarrhea
Fever
Mild allergic reactions
Minor burns
Minor cuts or laceration
Rashes
Sprains and strains
Vomiting

Important numbers

Always keep important numbers handy so you can access them easily in an emergency. Keep them by every phone in your house and either on your refrigerator or message center. Show your children, baby-sitters, caregivers and other family members where they are so they can access them too.

Your contact sheet should include:

Emergency: 9-1-1

Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

Urgent care:

Cook Children's Fort Worth Urgent Care Center 682-885-8012
Cook Children's Mansfield Urgent Care Center 817-347-8400
Cook Children's Northeast Hospital Urgent Care Center 817-605-2500
Cook Children's Southlake Urgent Care Center 682-885-6000

Emergency information:

Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222
Hospital name and phone: ____________
Pediatrician name and phone: ____________
Dentist name and phone: ____________
Pharmacy name and phone: ____________
Health insurance plan name, policy number, phone: ____________

Family information:

Parents' names: ____________
Kids' names: ____________
Address: street, city, county, state, ZIP code: ____________
Mom's cell number: ____________
Mom's work number: ____________
Dad's cell number: ____________
Dad's work number: ____________
Emergency contact 1: name, relationship, phone
Emergency contact 2: name, relationship, phone
Kids' cell phone numbers: ____________

Download and print an emergency contact sheet

Know what to do in an emergency

Remain calm and call 9-1-1, if necessary
Begin CPR, if the child is not breathing
In the case of a seizure, place the child on the floor so that his/her body and head are turned to the side
If your child is bleeding, apply a clean cloth and constant pressure to the wound
Never move a child who is injured unless there is an immediate danger, like smoke inhalation or a fire
If you suspect a poisoning, gather up any poisons, medications, etc., that you suspect your child has swallowed and take them with you to the emergency department. Tell the hospital if you suspect your child may have swallowed an item, like a small toy, marble, magnet, etc.

Have a first-aid kit

Having a first-aid kit can help you in both minor and major emergencies. You can purchase a first-aid kit at most drugstores. You can also make your own.

Once you have your first-aid kit, be sure to do the following:

Read the first-aid kit manual so you'll know how to use the items in the kit
Review the manual with your older children so they know how to use the kit as well
Store the kit out of reach from small children
Make sure baby-sitters and other caregivers know where the kit is
Check the kit on a regular basis and replace any missing or out-of-date (expired) items
Check the flashlight and replace batteries if needed

You may also want a travel first-aid kit for your car and for trips. If you're flying, be sure to pack your kit in checked baggage. First-aid kits aren't allowed in carry-ons.

Learn CPR

Taking a basic CPR course could be the best time you'll ever spend. If your child stops breathing, is choking, or is having a seizure, this knowledge could quite possibly be life-saving. You can find a course near you through the American Heart Association.

Choosing a pediatric emergency department

Adult hospitals are great, for adults. But kids have very special needs. Pediatric emergency departments are staffed by emergency medical specialists who have advanced training in pediatric emergencies.

Cook Children's Emergency Department isn't just kid friendly, it's kid only. We're here 24/7 for kids from birth to 21 years of age.

Our pediatric specialists are not only among the best in emergency medicine, they are among the most skilled when it comes to taking care of kids. Cook Children's emergency doctors have advanced training in pediatric emergency medicine so they understand that kids are not small adults. Children are constantly growing and changing and they have very different needs. Here at Cook Children's, emergency-medicine doctors and nurses are here to do the most important thing in an emergency, take care of your child every step of the way.

In a pediatric emergency department, imaging technologies and surgical centers are equipped with child-sized tools. And when you consider how many sizes kids come in, from birth to 21, that's a lot of sizes.

The same thing is true for medications, including sedatives. Having a pediatric emergency medical team is an added layer of safety for your child. And comfort for you.

Our support staff understands kids and families. Child Life specialists are available to help ease a child's fears. Cook Children's Social Services team can help you navigate everything from your child's ongoing health care needs to physical, emotional and financial stress.