Seattle Children’s has posted information on our website and created handouts in English, Spanish and Arabic to help families and their providers know when Urgent Care or the Emergency Department is the best choice for a child in need of medical attention. Please help us share this information so children receive they care they need when they need it.
Condition |
Urgent Care vs. Emergency |
| Allergies | Urgent Care |
| Asthma attack (minor) | Urgent Care |
| Asthma attack (severe) | Emergency |
| Bleeding that won’t stop | Emergency |
| Broken bone (not bent) | Urgent Care |
| Broken bone (bent, curved or looks deformed) | Emergency |
| Bronchiolitis | Urgent Care |
| Burn (minor) | Urgent Care |
| Burn (severe) | Emergency |
| Cast problem (soiled or wet) | Emergency |
| Cold | Urgent Care |
| Cough | Urgent Care |
| Cut (minor) | Urgent Care |
| Cut (severe) | Emergency |
| Dehydration | Urgent Care |
| Diarrhea | Urgent Care |
| Dizziness | Urgent Care |
| Earache and ear infection | Urgent Care |
| Fainting | Emergency |
| Fever (infants less than 2 months old) | Emergency |
| Fever (children over 2 months old) | Urgent Care |
| Headache | Urgent Care |
| Headache, migraine | Emergency |
| Head injury (minor and without loss of consciousness) | Urgent Care |
| Head injury (with loss of consciousness or from extreme impact) | Emergency |
| Insect or minor dog bite | Urgent Care |
| Mental health concerns | Emergency |
| Nausea | Urgent Care |
| Pink eye | Urgent Care |
| Pneumonia | Emergency |
| Poisoning | Emergency |
| Rash | Urgent Care |
| Seizure | Emergency |
| Sore throat | Urgent Care |
| Sprain or strain | Urgent Care |
| Stitches (minor stitches without sedation) | Urgent Care |
| Stitches (deep wound or needing sedation) | Emergency |
| Stomach pain (mild) | Urgent Care |
| Stomach pain (severe) | Emergency |
| Swallowed object | Emergency |
| Trouble breathing | Emergency |
| Ultrasound, CT scan or MRI studies | Emergency |
| Urinary infection | Urgent Care |
