Importance of Pediatric Emergency Rooms

Pediatric emergency rooms provide care for seriously ill and injured children. While any emergency room will treat children, these facilities are designed to meet the specific needs of young patients and their caregivers.

Specially Trained Staff

• Pediatric medicine varies from adult medicine. For instance, intubating a 4-year-old is different than intubating an adult. Specially trained health care providers treat children in pediatric emergency rooms.

Child Life Specialists

• Pediatric emergency rooms usually have child life specialists on staff. Child life specialists have training in child development and they educate children and support them during difficult tests and procedures.

Child Friendly Environment

• Designers make pediatric emergency rooms child friendly with colorful walls and decorations. Many pediatric emergency rooms provide toys and activities, children's movies and video games to entertain children.

Parental Support

• All emergency rooms should provide support to parents or other family members, but pediatric emergency rooms usually make a big effort to provide parental support. Chaplains, social workers and other trained staff provide emotional and spiritual support to parents of critically ill or injured children.

Shorter Wait Times

• Some pediatric emergency rooms make an effort to ensure shorter wait times. Sick and scared children have difficulty sitting in a waiting room for long hours as often happens in emergency rooms geared toward adults.