Where to Choose Care
When your child doesn't feel good, it can be difficult to know where to go for care. The pediatric experts at Reid Health help you choose the right care type based on your child’s needs.
Choosing the right healthcare for your child when it matters most
When your child isn’t feeling well, it can be overwhelming trying to determine the right level of healthcare they need. Should you book a same-day sick appointment with your pediatrician? Is it better to stop by a Ready Care clinic or urgent care? Or should you be heading to the emergency room?
To speed the process and help you get the answers you need, our pediatric experts have put together the quick guide below outlining things to consider when choosing the right type of healthcare for your child’s needs.
Primary care same-day sick
As your child's regular healthcare partner, your pediatrician or primary care provider is often the best choice for non-urgent medical concerns. When you book a same-day sick appointment in MyReid, we ensure your child receives continuity of care by helping your provider properly track their health history.
Call your pediatrician or family doctor if your child has the following symptoms:
- Mild fever
- Ear pain
- Sore throat
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Persistent headaches
- Rashes or skin concerns
- Coughs and wheezing
Tip: Call us if you’re unsure whether to wait for an appointment or seek immediate care. Our caring staff can guide you based on your child’s symptoms.
Urgent care centers
Reid Health's urgent care centers are great for when your child needs quick medical attention in a non-life-threatening situation. You can count on the same expertise you've come to expect from our providers at all our care centers.
Visit one of our urgent cares if your child has one of the following:
- Minor burns or cuts needing stitches
- Simple bone injuries, such as sprains or minor fractures
- Animal bites
- Sports injuries
- Minor allergic reactions
- Mild infections, like pinkeye or ear infections
- X-rays
Ready Care walk-in
If you need care quickly, but not urgent imaging or treatment needs, our convenient walk-in services at the Ready Care Clinic or Ortho Walk-in NOW can help you start feeling better quickly.
Most appointments take 15-20 minutes and can help with minor illnesses and injuries, including:
- Pink eye, styes, eye infections
- Cough, colds, flu, and other respiratory infections
- Earache
- Urinary tract infections
- Skin rashes
- Head lice
- Shallow cuts and scrapes (no stitches)
- Minor burns
Emergency department
If your child has a serious condition, the Emergency Department (ED) is the safest place to go. Our ED is equipped to handle major injuries or illnesses, 24/7. For life-threatening conditions, call 911 immediately.
Call 911 if your child:
- Can't breathe/is turning blue
- Loses consciousness
- Has a bone sticking out of their skin
- Is choking or can’t breathe
- Has taken an unknown substance and is hard to wake
If your child is experiencing the following serious conditions, come to our ED:
- Trouble breathing
- Seizures
- Severe allergic reactions
- Deep cuts that won’t stop bleeding
- Vomiting after a head injury
- High fevers
- Unusual sleepiness or confusion
Ready to care for your child when you need us most
If your child is injured or significantly ill, you can trust us to give them the very best care possible.
Our Emergency Department has been recognized as a Pediatric Ready Level Facility by the Indiana Emergency Medical Services for Children (IEMSC). This four-year designation ensures children will receive expert care for severe or unexpected illnesses and injuries, improving outcomes.
Providing high-quality pediatric emergency care requires specialized lifesaving equipment, access to supplies and medications, and ongoing training and education for medical staff and therapists. Specific policies and protocols must also be in place to care for children’s unique health needs.
As part of a voluntary assessment of our readiness to treat children in the Emergency Department, we worked with local emergency and law enforcement agencies and KinderCare to improve our family reunification program, which is based on guidance by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The training ensures we’re prepared to care for multiple pediatric patients and to reunify children with their families.
Make the right choice
When in doubt, it’s always ok to ask for help. Your child’s health is worth every thoughtful decision you make!
Calling or messaging your provider’s office through MyReid can help guide you to the best option for your child’s care, ensuring your child gets the right treatment when they need it while making the most of your time and resources.