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What you need to know about childhood emergencies

"Kids will be kids; so they're bound to experience some type of minor injury before they reach adulthood," says Alan Shubert, MD, emergency physician at Virtua Memorial Hospital. Each year more than 30 million children receive care for serious illnesses and life-threatening injuries in the nation's emergency rooms.

What is an emergency?
"Many childhood emergencies involve sudden injuries, such as bike or car crashes, falls or choking, while others involve illness, fever and dehydration," says Dr. Shubert. "Some injuries or illnesses may be urgent but not life-threatening, and they can be treated at home or in the doctor's office. However, it's important for parents to learn how to recognize an illness or injury that requires emergency treatment and learn what to do to best care for their child in an emergency."

It's not always easy for parents to know what's actually an emergency. Parents should look for the following signs and symptoms:
* Difficulty breathing
* Uncontrollable bleeding
* Unresponsiveness or unconsciousness
* Blue or gray skin or lips
* Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
* High fever accompanied by rash or severe head or neck pain

If it's life-threatening
It's not always easy for parents to know what's actually an emergency. "If you think your child is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911," advises John B. Tedeschi, MD, Virtua pediatrician and co-medical director of CARES (Children and Adolescent Rapid Evaluation Service) at Virtua Voorhees, where every child is treated by a pediatrician.

Even if the injury isn't life threatening, it's important for parents to seek medical attention for their child. "When in doubt, call your child's physician for advice; early recognition and treatment of symptoms can prevent minor injuries or illnesses from getting worse," notes Dr. Tedeschi.

What to do
"In an emergency, there are many things parents can do to get the best care for their child as quickly as possible," advises Joseph DelGiorno, MD, Virtua pediatrician and co-medical director of CARES.
* Call 911 or your local emergency medical service.
* Start rescue breathing or CPR if the child is not breathing.
* Apply continuous pressure to the wound if the child is bleeding.
* Do not move the child unless he or she is in immediate danger.
* Stay with the child until help arrives.

Keep a record
"It's also important to keep a record of your child's vital health information so that the medical team can make a better and more rapid diagnosis of a problem when time really counts," says Dr. DelGiorno. Keep a written record of the following information and make copies to keep in the car and to give to babysitters:
* Allergies to food, medicine, latex, insects, animals
* Medications (prescriptions or over-the-counter medications)
* Pre-existing illnesses such as asthma, diabetes and seizures
* Current immunizations record)
* Physician information (primary care doctor and any specialists)
* Emergency contacts such as parents, relatives or family friends

Get a FREE emergency readiness kit
Call 1-888-Virtua-3 (1-888-847-8823) to get your free kit. Included is a fact sheet on first-aid for minor mishaps, an emergency contact sheet and a key chain with information you need to know in an emergency.