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Coronavirus Update:What patients and families need to know

Emergency Medicine and Trauma Services

Contact number | 202-476-5000
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Visiting the Emergency Department During Coronavirus

We understand that the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic can make seeking medical care a scary prospect. The Emergency Department at Children's National Hospital is taking special precautions to safeguard the health and well-being of our patients, families and community at large.

We have rapid COVID-19 testing available at all three of our pediatric emergency medicine sites. All tested patients have the option of a telemedicine follow-up visit.

If you have general questions or concerns about your child’s health, please contact his/her pediatrician, who can advise you as to the best course of action. Remember that it is important to keep up with routine well-child care and immunizations.

If your child is experiencing a medical emergency, please telephone 911 or proceed directly to the Emergency Department. While in the ED, we ask that you help us to keep everyone safe by observing the following policies:

  • All caregivers and children aged 2 years and up must wear masks throughout the hospital facility.
  • Only one adult caregiver is able to stay with the child during their ER visit.
  • Though encouraged to exit the hospital entirely, an additional caregiver may wait in the Main Atrium.
  • If your child is admitted to the hospital, inpatient visitor policies apply. 

Remember that our Emergency Department is open, safe and ready to provide a full range of emergency diagnostic and treatment services for acutely ill and injured children.

Emergency Medicine at Children's National

The Emergency Medicine and Trauma Center at Children’s National is the only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, as verified by the American College of Surgeons. As the only freestanding children’s hospital in the area, Children’s National serves as the regional referral center for pediatric emergencies.

In addition, our Emergency Medicine and Trauma Center is recognized as Maryland’s out-of-state regional pediatric burn center by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS). Under this designation, our team of experts is recognized as being best equipped to share the volume of Maryland burn patients with Maryland’s in-state pediatric trauma center.

As a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, we are uniquely qualified to provide emergency care for children, from the design of the department to our highly skilled professionals who understand the special needs of younger, smaller patients.

Our center provides a full range of emergency diagnostic and treatment services for acutely ill and injured patients. Our team includes leading fellowship trained experts in pediatric emergency care, and ensuring all of our pediatric subspecialists are available for consultations. Division units add another level of service for children and families:

  • Fast Track Unit. The Fast Track Unit’s pediatric physicians help patients with minor acute illnesses and injuries. The Fast Track Unit is open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
  • Evaluation and Treatment Unit. The Evaluation and Treatment Unit provides care to patients who require up to 24 hours of treatment, but do not require a hospital admission.
  • Decontamination Unit. In the event of a biological, chemical or radiological event, Children’s has a state-of-the-art Decontamination Unit designed specifically for kids, the only one of its kind in the region.

Locations 

Our pediatric emergency services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at two locations in the nation's capital: 

We also offer pediatric emergency services from 1 p.m. - 11 p.m., seven days a week at Doctors Community Hospital, located at 8118 Good Luck Road, Lanham, MD 20706.

Help for Victims of Violence

If you or someone that you know is a victim of verbal, emotional, physical or sexual abuse, we strongly encourage you to seek help immediately. Learn how you can protect yourself and others from violence with these resources.

Pediatric Emergency Guide App for Health Care Professionals

The Pediatric Emergency Guide is an app designed for users to dose pediatric emergency medicines and equipment to patients based on weight or age. Learn more.

Future-Focused Training and Education

We are training the next generation of pediatric emergency and trauma specialists at Children's National. Learn more about our training opportunities that provide experience and education to develop exceptional leaders within the field of emergency medicine.

The Power of Prevention 

Patient, parent and community injury prevention education is an extension of the care we provide at the hospital. It may surprise some to know that harmful and sometimes life-threatening poisonings and ingestions are still significant concerns with children and teens.

Recent statistics from the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), notes cosmetics and personal care products, pain killers and household cleaning products as the most common poisons in children five years old and younger.

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