What to Know About the Best Urgent Care in Rockville, MD
Your child is sick, and you are faced with decisions that need to be made now. Do you take them to the best urgent care in Rockville, MD, the emergency room, or wait for an appointment with their pediatrician?
As a parent, the wellbeing of your kids is always a priority. You need to know what to do without hesitation. This guide can help you make informed decisions regarding their health quickly.
How Does a Parent Choose Between Urgent Care, the Emergency Room, or a Pediatric Appointment?
Have a conversation with your child’s pediatrician about urgent care vs the ER or a regular visit before a situation occurs that makes you have to make a quick decision.
Set aside time to ask them for their advice on how to choose the right care. You can use these lists as guides but follow their recommendations when the time comes:
Go to the Emergency Room for the Following:
- Breathing difficulties or has stopped breathing
- Chest pain / pressure
- Choking
- Electric shock or lightning strike
- Head injury with fainting or confusion
- Neck or spine injury, especially when accompanied by loss of feeling or inability
- Seizure(s) between three and five seconds in duration
- Severe burns
An Appointment With Your Child’s Regular Pediatrician Is Recommended For:
- Development assessments
- Disruption in sleep patterns
- Educational resources
- Management of chronic conditions
- Mental health support
- Nutritional guidance
- Parenting advice
- Preventative care / routine checkups
- Sports physicals
- Vaccines
- Vision/hearing screenings
- Illnesses and minor injuries such as:
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Ear infections
- Fever and headache
- Flu and bad colds
- Minor eye injuries
- Minor fractures
- Shortness of breath
- Sinus infections
- Small cuts that may require stitches
- Sprains and strains
The Best Urgent Care in Rockville, MD Is Suitable for Treating:
- Any illness or injury that doesn’t need life-saving care or surgery when you’re regular pediatrician can’t see your child right away
What Do I Look for When Choosing the Best Urgent Care in Rockville, MD?
Medical needs for adults and children are vastly different, and not all urgent care facilities are equipped to treat kids. This means knowing what to look for when deciding where to take your child. Again, this is important to know before a serious illness occurs.
Prioritize board-certified pediatricians and licensed healthcare staff with experience in pediatrics. They should not only have training in caring for kids at every stage from infancy to young adulthood, but they need to be able to communicate clearly with young people and provide a calm environment.
For children who fall on the autism spectrum, have anxiety, or suffer from PTSD, sensory inclusivity is essential. Proving tools that pave the way for an environment to adapt to your child instead of the other way around can relieve a tremendous amount of stress.
While not a requirement, an on-site lab facility, diagnostic testing, and pharmacy can be helpful. The fewer trips you need to make, the easier it is for you and your sick child.
Urgent care facilities should be dedicated to providing a thoroughly disinfected environment, prioritizing health through measures like hand and surface sanitization and the use of personal protective equipment for patients, visitors, and staff.
Accessibility and affordability are important factors. Is the facility open every day with after-hours care? Is the location convenient? Do they accept my insurance plan? Is there an online patient portal for easy scheduling? Do I have a self-pay option? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you have likely discovered the ideal place for your child’s urgent health requirements.
Your Child Is In Good Hands at Our Exclusive Potomac Pediatrics Urgent Care, POP NOW!
Opened on August 1, 2023, POP NOW Urgent Care is an extension of our regular pediatric practice. Because our urgent care is staffed by our highly qualified providers, you and your child can feel confident with the level of familiar care.
Call us at 301-279-6750 for information or schedule online for an appointment.
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