By: Brooke Redmond, MD, CHSE, FAAP
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a system of trained professionals who handle out-of-hospital emergencies.
EMS is linked to a nationwide emergency phone number. In the United States, dial
911 to contact EMS. 911 will dispatch the right professional to your emergency.
Call emergency medical services immediately for any of the following:
A child in need of fast, urgent medical treatment wherever they are
Multiple children affected by injury or serious illness at the same time
Fever plus abnormal "ABCs" (appearance, breathing or circulation)
Strange, withdrawn or altered behavior
Decreased alertness
Difficulty breathing
Trouble speaking
Skin or lips that look blue, purple or gray
Rhythmic jerking of arms and legs and a loss of responsiveness (seizure)
Unresponsive, unconscious
Decreasing responsiveness
Head injury and/or: decrease in level of alertness; confusion; headache; vomiting; irritability; difficulty walking
Increasing or severe pain anywhere
Bleeding that cannot be stopped
Deep and/or large cut or burn
Vomiting blood
Severe stiff neck, headache and fever
Significant
dehydration with signs and symptoms like sunken eyes, not making tears or urinating, lethargy
Rapid onset or quickly spreading purple or red rash
Significant blood in stools
Hot or cold weather injuries (e.g.
frostbite,
heat exhaustion)
Important 911 tips for parents
In many areas of the United States, EMS can identify the location of a
911 emergency call using special technology. Mobile phone calls, however, cannot always be identified. Always be prepared to tell the EMS dispatcher your exact location. At home keep your street address posted by the telephone.
When your child needs prompt medical care but not necessarily an ambulance transport:
Fever in any age child who looks more than mildly ill
Fever of 100.5°F or higher in a child younger than 60 days (2 months) old
Any age child who appears very ill or is acting like they are very sick
Severe vomiting and/or diarrhea
Significant injury or cut that may require
stitches (such as a wound that does not hold together by itself after cleaning)
Any
animal bites that puncture the skin
Any venomous
bites or stings with spreading local redness and swelling, or evidence of general illness
Any medical condition specifically outlined in a child's care plan requiring parental notification
More information
About Dr. Redmond Brooke Redmond, MD, CHSE, FAAP, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine and an attending neonatal critical care physician at the Yale New Haven Children's Hospital. She is the creator and director of the 24/7 BABY program, an innovative partnership between Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and Emergency Medical Services. Dr. Redmond serves as a steering committee member for the AAP Pediatric First Aid and Safety Committee.
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