Keeping Kids Safe

All ERs can treat children, but prevention is best

Your child is obviously in pain. You know you have to rush to the emergency room, but questions race through your mind. Will the doctor know how to treat a child? Is the children's hospital across town better than the nearest hospital?

Relax. The American College of Emergency Physicians says all emergency-room doctors are trained to treat children. It's important to get your child to the nearest hospital so treatment can begin. A doctor may then decide your child needs to go to a specialty center.

The organization says the most important steps parents can take to protect children are preventive. Make sure your child always wears a seatbelt when in a car and a helmet when biking.

The college also urges parents to know the early signs of childhood illnesses so they can be treated before they become emergencies.

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