Эксперты рекомендуют: куда везти травмированного ребенка — в клинику неотложной помощи или в приемное отделение

ER or urgent care clinic? Here’s where experts recommend you take an injured child What to expect from an urgent care center Urgent care centers, which often fill the gap between primary care doctors and emergency rooms, have convenience and cost in their corners. Not counting retail-based clinics, there are more than 7,500 urgent care centers in the United States, according to data from the Urgent Care Association, an industry group. The association estimates that illness and injury visits at urgent care centers typically cost $115-$160. Patients here can also be seen sooner; many urgent care sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis. What to expect from an emergency room Meanwhile, there are only a handful of pediatric emergency rooms in the Chicago area, which have doctors who specialize in caring for kids. Emergency rooms, though more expensive, are better able to deal with severe injuries and symptoms, like allergic reactions, difficulty breathing, or poisonings. That considered, two common summer injuries will likely need to be treated in an emergency room, doctors said: badly broken bones, or bones that look out of place, and long or deep wounds. (For very young kids, doctors advise parents call their pediatrician first, if possible. Even after hours, many offices do respond with guidance.) If you bring your child to an urgent care clinic for either of these conditions, you will likely be referred to an emergency room anyway, said Dr. Elizabeth Powell, an emergency medicine physician at Lurie Children’s Hospital. With schools out and temperatures up, it’s almost inevitable that kids will be soaking up the summer outdoors, sometimes unsupervised. The best treatment for seasonal accidents, experts say, is to prevent them in the first place. Ensuring kids wear helmets and protective gear when on bikes, skates and scooters; keeping pools fenced off when an adult isn’t present; and being sure to use the proper safety seat restraints in a vehicle were among the top recommendations. Storing the number for the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) in a parent’s cellphone is also helpful.