Pediatric urgent care services are designed for children and minors of all ages, from infants to adolescents. Urgent care is not to be confused with emergency care, which requires a visit to the emergency department of a local hospital. In general, urgent care facilities are designed for illnesses and injuries that are not necessarily life threatening, but require attention. Most urgent care facilities do not require an appointment, either. If you are looking for the best pediatric urgent care in San Diego, Urgent Care La Jolla is here for you!
For example, let’s say your child fell outside and broke his or her arm. Although usually not life threatening, a broken bone requires immediate attention to minimize pain and ensure that the bone heals properly. Although you and your child may have a relationship with your primary pediatrician, it can be difficult getting same-day appointments even for urgent illnesses and injuries. Many insurance providers offer urgent care benefits along with those commonly offered for emergency care. That why urgent care centers come in handy.
All urgent care providers have their own rules about the seriousness of the conditions they will treat for children and adults alike. Some symptoms are indicative of serious illnesses that should warrant a trip to the emergency room. In cases of common illnesses and injuries, however, most patients would benefit by going to an urgent care facility that offers effective care for much cheaper and a much shorter wait time. Some common health conditions that urgent care providers treat include minor burns, fevers, infections, allergic reactions, insect stings, animal bites, chicken pox, pink eye, rashes, sunburns, sports injuries, and splinter removals. Most urgent care facilities can send patients for imaging and labs, while others even offer minor surgical procedures such as mole and wart removals.
Pediatric urgent care services are becoming more common in modern times. This is largely due to the health of children being taken more seriously by the public. It also has to do with the fact that there are fewer pediatricians who run private practices. Pediatricians find it more beneficial for themselves and the children they treat to provide urgent care services instead of regular doctor’s appointments. The upside is that children can be treated quickly for most medical problems that they are facing. The downside is that seeing different providers can remove the interpersonal relationship between the child, parent, and doctor.
Most insurance providers will provide you a list of in-network urgent care facilities. These are the facilities where you must take your child to use your insurance benefits. The downside to these urgent care facilities, relative to those that do not accept insurance as payment, is that the wait times can be longer, especially during times such as weekends and holidays where most primary pediatrician practices are closed. If you are looking for a pediatric urgent care, schedule an appointment with us today!