Emergency Medicine

If your child needs urgent medical care, please go immediately to your nearest ED.  If you can’t safely transport your child to the hospital, call 911 without delay. 

We accept all Emergency Department (ED) patients from birth through 21 years of age.

Level I Regional Pediatric Trauma Center
Caring for 60,000 patients with emergency medical needs each year, our ED is one of the largest emergency/trauma centers in New England and the largest pediatric ED in Massachusetts. We serve as a Level I Regional Pediatric Trauma Center, and we house the Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention.

Why a Pediatric ED?

The Children’s pediatric difference. True pediatric emergency care extends far beyond the Emergency Department.

If your child comes to Children’s ED, we mobilize all our child- and family-centered resources to provide him—and you—with the best, quickest care. The value of pediatric emergency care at Children’s includes these important points:

• Our Emergency Medicine specialists, acute care pediatricians and clinical specialists have advanced training, not just in emergency care, but in pediatric emergency care. Kids aren’t just scaled-down adults—they need special skill and care. And whatever injury or illness brings your child to our ED, our 54  pediatric emergency medicine-trained physicians and 25 acute care pediatricians, and 76 pediatric nurses know how to help immediately.
• Our x-rays and advanced imaging technologies are geared to kids. Children are much more sensitive to radiation and need specific pediatric protocols for imaging. Additionally, some children need sedation for procedures or even to stay still for special studies like  an MRI or CT scan. Our specialists know exactly what doses will do the job safely.
• Professionals in our many support services—nurses, child life specialists, social workers and so many more—provide comfort, resources and help for you, your child and your whole family.
• Our outpatient waiting areas are designed for children, with plenty of toys, and TVs set to children’s programming. Treatment areas are geared for kids, too!
• If your child does need to be admitted to the hospital:
  • Your child will be treated by world-ranking specialists and sub-specialists in every specialty that he needs. This is particularly valuable if your child has a pre-existing complex condition.
  • Your child’s caregivers are sensitive to a child’s physical and emotional needs, and those of his family.
  • The environment will be cheery and child-centered.

Can You “Prepare” for an Emergency Department Visit?

If preparing for an emergency sounds like a contradiction in terms—it isn’t! It’s actually a great idea to evaluate Emergency Departments for your child before you might need one. If an actual emergency occurs, you won’t have time to wonder; better to do your homework in advance.

A checklist. Here’s what to look for in emergency care for your child:

• Is it equipped and staffed for children’s needs?
  • Are the ED doctors and nurses trained in pediatric Emergency Care?
  • Are the imaging devices and sedation doses geared for children? Do the radiologists scale their exposures based on a child’s size?
• How kid-centric is the hospital’s staff? How many are trained to deliver pediatric emergency care?
• What about the hospital’s other services?
  • Are there pediatric specialists and sub-specialists on staff?
  • Are there accommodations made for kids’ waiting areas, treatment rooms?
• Where’s the nearest ED that offers all the above for your child?

New Mobile App to Make Your Visit Easier

To help keep your time with us moving smoothly, the hospital is now offering Boston Children's MyWay, a free mobile app with step-by-step directions to help you get around many of our locations.

MyWay also connects you with CHB support services like our Center for Families or Child Life Services, and has listings for local restaurants, hotels and fun things to do with the kids while in the area.

Download Boston Children's MyWay on your iPhone or Android smart phone.  For more information about the app, please visit this page.