Americans young and old will sometimes need medical attention for maladies minor and major, and this means knowing where to take a patient for proper care. Children and babies may b taken to pediatric after hours clinics, and a childrens walk in clinic may be just right when a child suffers an illness or a rash, or some other sudden medical problem. These pediatric after hours clinic are one such option, but parents may also have a private and regular pediatrician whom they visit for their child’s checkups and medical care, and pediatric care is standard for anyone under the age of 18.
There’s more out there than pediatric after hours clinics, though. Older patients will need to visit either an urgent care clinic or an emergency care clinic or hospital emergency room, depending on the severity of their medical case. When is it time to visit a pediatric after hours clinic or find a pediatrician, and why might an adult need emergency care?
Childrens Health
Pediatricians are doctors who specialize in the care of children, and they are board-certified experts on the anatomy, needs, and common medical problems of babies, children, and adolescents. When a baby is only a few months old, the parents may start taking taking their youngster to a pediatrician for regular checkups to monitor the child’s growth and health. If parents move to a new city or their child first becomes old enough for a pediatrician, the parents may conduct an online search to find a pediatric after hours clinic or a private practice (if they do not already have personal references to work with). Such an online search may be like “private pediatricians near me” or “good pediatrician clinics Dallas TX” or something to that effect. Parents can add their ZIP code or the name of their city or town to further refine the search and only find local results.
Parents may find a whole list of results, and they may call them ahead of time to check that their health insurance policies are accepted there. Parents should also visit these clinics in person to evaluate them and consult the staff who work there and learn of their credentials and experience, as well as previous patient reviews. The parents may also bring their child with them, who will get a chance to form their own impression. If the child feels comfortable there and gets along with the staff, that clinic may be a fine candidate.
At a pediatrician’s office, a child may be diagnosed with common problems such as an ear infection or the common cold, or they may even be diagnose with a mental disorder. Mental problems such as depression or anxiety are not limited to adults, and a pediatrician may diagnose such issues in a child. Other conditions such as Down Syndrome, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be diagnosed in a child, and children as young as two may be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Urgent and Emergency Care
Meanwhile, adult patients will need either urgent or emergency care, depending on the nature and severity of their medical problem. “urgent” and “emergency” may sound similar, but they are in fact distinct and should not be confused. The good news is that some clinics are in fact hybrids, which offer both urgent and emergency care for patients, being flexible places to visit. This is helpful if someone helping a patient find medical care can’t tell what level of care that patient needs.
Emergency care is for life-threatening medical maladies such as bullet or stab wounds, and heavy bleeding. Patients may have damaged organs, such as a broken rib puncturing a lung, or they may have broken arms or legs. Head and eye wounds also call for emergency care, as do chest pain and difficulty breathing. The latter two may easily become life-threatening in many cases.
Urgent care is for non life-threatening medical cases. Guests at a walk in clinic may get stitches and bandages for shallow cuts, for example, or wrist or ankle braces for sprained joints. Patients may also get treatment for bone fractures, or they may get medicinal relief against the common cold and flu during influenza season. Lotion for rashes and sun burn may be provided, too.