About
British Columbia Children's Hospital Emergency department is the province's only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma center and provides care to more than 43, 000 patients annually from across the province.
We assess and treat pediatric patients up to 16 years of age who present with acute medical, surgical and mental health illnesses or injuries.
Sometimes it is difficult to know whether your child has a serious problem. One in three children who come to Emergency could be managed well by a community physician or in a community health centre.
Take your child immediately to Emergency or call 911 if your child:
- Is having difficulty breathing
- Has blue lips or skin, or appears very pale
- Is coughing excessively, particularly with a fever
- Is vomiting excessively, especially if there is blood in the vomit
- Has diarrhea and vomiting and is not producing tears, and has not urinated for several hours
- Has a high fever, appears very sleepy, and has not improved with acetominophen (Tylenol) or ibupfrofen (Advil).
- Is under three months of age and has a fever of greater than 38 degrees C (100.4 degrees F)
When you arrive at emergency, you will see a triage nurse who will provide an initial assessment that the healthcare team uses to determine which patients are seen first. Children with life-threatening illnesses or injuries are seen first.
We appreciate how stressful a visit to the emergency may be for your child/youth and you. We try to see all of our patients as quickly as possible while maintaining high quality care. If you feel that your child’s health situation has changed while you are waiting, please tell a nurse right away.
