Your Child is Seriously Ill or Injured ...

Are you Prepared?

How prepared are you to handle a pediatric medical emergency? Follow these seven steps. Your child's life could depend on it!
1.	Check to see if 9-1-1 is the correct number to call where you live and work. If not, write down the correct emergency numbers (ambulance, police, fire, and poison control) and post them near or on all telephones.
2.	Teach your children how to dial 9-1-1 or your local emergency number(s) and the information they will need to provide name, telephone number, address, and physical symptoms of the ill or injured individual. (Have your telephone number and address listed close to the telephone.)
3.	Have the name, address, and telephone number of your child's doctor always at hand. Know the hours when the doctor's office is open and what to do if you need advice when the off ice is closed.
Community marketplace 4.	Make sure your house address can be seen from the street, day or night.
5.	Find out which hospital emergency room your doctor prefers. Visit the hospital to determine the quickest route, the emergency room drop off location, and emergency room parking.
6.	If you have health insurance, ask about the rules for getting help in an emergency. They may refer you to a specific hospital, unless the illness or injury is life threatening.
7.	Take courses that will help you respond effectively to a serious illness or injury. Many communities offer classes on first aid, bystander care, and CPR for infants and children.

What Is A Child Health Emergency?

A child health emergency is an illness or injury that may threaten a child's life if action is not taken immediately; for instance:

• Loss of consciousness (the child cannot wake up)
• Seizures or convulsions
• Choking on food, drink, or object
• Falls from high places
• Severe burns
• Breathing difficulty
• Eating or drinking something poisonous
• Heavy bleeding that will not stop
• Injuries from a car or bike crash
• High fever
• Diarrhea or vomiting lasting than 24 hours

Small cuts, low fevers, minor diarrhea or constipation, stomachaches, earaches, minor bruises, minor nosebleeds, rashes and sprains are non-emergency problems. A parent or caregiver who has basic first-aid skills and a first-aid kit can handle most of these problems. If you are not sure about what to do for a health problem that is not an emergency, call the primary care provider. If determined to be an emergency or if you are not sure, dial 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.

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