Here for You: Call EPPC Before Going to Urgent Care
When your child is sick or hurt, it’s natural to feel anxious and want to seek care fast.
However, unless it’s a life threatening emergency, calling your East Portland pediatrician can be your first course of action.
At East Portland Pediatric Clinic, we want to ensure your little ones receive the appropriate care at the right time. When you talk to our doctor on call, you’ll learn what to do next, what to watch out for and when to care for your child at home.
Why Call Your Pediatrician First?
Your pediatrician knows your child’s medical history, allergies and previous treatments. We understand the nuances of pediatric health and can often offer advice or treatment options tailored to your child’s needs.
Calling us to get professional advice tells you whether your child’s issue can be managed at home, requires an office visit or if you should head straight to urgent care. This guidance helps prevent unnecessary visits and ensures your child gets the right level of care without delay.
“Urgent” sounds a lot like “emergency,” so it’s natural that there’s some confusion on the difference. Urgent care is a good choice for same-day care if our office is not open. Urgent care centers are set up to treat non-life-threatening health issues. Some, but not all, have X-rays. Does your child have symptoms of strep throat or a cut that might need glue? Urgent care is likely the right place if we can’t get you in that day.
Many urgent issues can be taken care of in our office. We save appointment spots every day for those last minute illnesses and injuries. Did you know that we can splint fractures and glue, stitch or staple lacerations in our office? Our patients appreciate that we know your child better than the urgent care does, and being in a familiar, safe environment helps ease a lot of the anxiety that comes with being injured.
Urgent care centers and emergency rooms are designed to address immediate and serious health concerns. Calling your pediatrician first can save you time, reduce healthcare costs and free up resources for those in critical need.
When to Go to the Emergency Room
Sometimes, calling an ambulance or heading straight to the ER is the right thing to do. Seek care immediately, and don’t stop to call us. If you’re not emotionally or physically able to drive, call 911.
Life-threatening conditions, severe injuries and symptoms that require immediate attention should not wait. Situations warranting emergency care include, but are not limited to:
- Difficult or labored breathing
- Sudden, intense pain
- Signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis
- Unconsciousness
- Bleeding that won’t stop
- Skin around the mouth is blue
- Dehydration: haven’t urinated in eight hours or aren’t taking in or holding down fluids
- Severely lethargic, struggle to wake
- Anything that sets off your parental alarm that something’s really wrong
- Seizure that hasn’t stopped within the first 2-3 minutes
If your child needs immediate emergency medical attention, don’t stop to call your pediatrician. Please fill us in later when the situation is calmer and you can take the time.
Call Us When You’re Worried
At East Portland Pediatric Clinic, we’re committed to being your first point of contact in managing your child’s health. If you’re not sure if your child needs to be seen, give us a call.
Call this number day or night: 503-255-3544. Our office staff will direct you to the appropriate person for medical advice during office hours. After hours, an answering service will take down your information and an on-call doctor will call you back.
We offer guidance on how to handle your specific situation, whether it’s scheduling an appointment with us or directing you to the nearest appropriate healthcare facility.
Being informed and prepared can make all the difference. By understanding when to call your pediatrician, visit urgent care or go to the emergency room, you’re taking an important step in ensuring your child receives the right care at the right time.
At East Portland Pediatric Clinic, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Your child’s health and well-being are our top priorities.