Where to Go for Care: When Should Parents Take Kids to the ER or Urgent Care?

ParentingU

Illness and injury seem to come up at any time (sometimes, the most inconvenient times!) How do parents of teens and tweens know when to go to urgent care and when to go to the Emergency Room? Hannah Chachere, MD, a pediatrician with Our Lady of Lourdes Children’s Health joins us on ParentingU to break down all the different choices parents have when encountering an illness or injury with a teen or tween.

What is the difference between urgent and emergency care?

Do you know when to call the pediatrician’s office instead of going to urgent care? Do you know when urgent care might be the best option, as well as what types of urgent care offices are available? You’ll find out on this episode as well as receiving practical tips from Dr. Chachere about first aid and some home remedies that she swears by!

More Helpful ParentingU Resources

- Dr. Chachere recommended a first aid product: Hibiclens, also known as chlorhexidine gluconate—available at most drug stores

- She also likes family favorites like Aquaphor, Vaseline, and local honey (listen to the episode for more details)

- We have a handy “Where to Go for Care” guide you can get here: https://health.fmolhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024ParentingU_Where-to-Go-800x1000-1.jpg

- Watch Dr. Chachere and Stephanie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Yfly4ehPHLk

- Read our informative blog post all about where to go for care: https://health.fmolhs.org/body/childrens-health/panic-free-pediatrics-where-to-seek-care-for-your-sick-or-injured-tween-or-teen-parentingu-podcast/

Season 4 of ParentingU is all about Teens and Tweens! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.