Pediatrics at UF Health Jacksonville
24/7 Children’s Emergency Department
Our board-certified emergency medicine pediatric physicians specialize in treating infants, children and adolescents experiencing sudden injuries or illnesses. Our compassionate physicians at UF Health Jacksonville Emergency & Urgent Care Centers can help soothe your child’s nerves as they start the healing process.
Should I Take My Child to the ER?
It’s important to seek emergency medical attention for a child so their condition doesn’t progress and potentially cause permanent harm.
Symptoms of a serious medical emergency include:
- Being bitten by an animal or stung by an insect
- Complaint of severe pain
- Complications of a chronic illness
- Difficulty breathing
- Experiencing a head injury
- Foreign objects needing to be removed
- Having an allergic reaction
- Having a high fever
- Having a severe injury accident from a car wreck, fall, burn, choking, drowning, electric shock, and so on
- Ingesting a toxic substance
- Lacerations or open wounds
- Loss of alertness or consciousness
- Rhythmic jerking
- Sudden and unusual changes in behavior, such as apathy
- Turning blue
Preparing for the Emergency Room
It’s a good idea for parents to keep a list of their child’s medication and medical history in case an emergency occurs. Remember to bring your health insurance card and emergency contact information, and inform the emergency department of your child’s primary pediatrician. Be prepared to give your child’s emergency pediatrician a complete account of what led you to take your child to the emergency room.
As a parent, you are your child’s best advocate, so if you feel the need to speak up, don’t hesitate to ask any questions or voice your concerns. No question is a silly one regarding your child’s health and well-being, especially if you have questions about aftercare once your child is released from the ER. Once you and your child go home, you should call your child’s regular pediatrician to let them know about what happened at the ER, because it’s likely they will ask to see your child for a follow-up appointment to check on their health.
With emergency and urgent care under one roof, we make it easy for your child to get the level of care they need.
Our Emergency & Urgent Care Centers are open 24/7.
