TGH’s Pediatric Emergency & Trauma Center is staffed with physicians and nurses who specialize in pediatric emergency medicine. Pediatric emergency patients are treated in one of 10 available private treatment rooms equipped with restroom facilities, TVs with DVD players. With a nautical theme to help put children at ease, the Pediatric Emergency Care Center offers pediatric emergency patients their own waiting area to give children a stress-free area to play.
Pediatric trauma patients are treated in our Level I Trauma Center, the only on the West Coast of Florida and one of just three in the state. What does it mean to be a Level 1 ACS-verified pediatric trauma hospital: A review team from the ACS, consisting of nationally-recognized experts in trauma care, perform an in-depth assessment of every aspect of TGH’s trauma program. The ACS recognizes the TGH Level I pediatric trauma team for its dedication to providing optimal care for children, as well as its demonstrated commitment to education, research, and community outreach. This requires a multidisciplinary team of physicians, specialty surgeons and specialists available 24/7 that serve patients being transported from 23 different counties.
TGH Pediatric Emergency Services in Brandon
Tampa General's TGH Emergency Center Brandon, located at the TGH Brandon Healthplex is now open. To learn more, visit www.tghhealthplex.com.
When Your Child Should Go to the Emergency Room
Understanding the seriousness of a medical situation is critical to making a decision on whether your child needs medical care from your doctor, an urgent care clinic or emergency department. The following guide from Medline Plus can help you make the right choice for your child.
Call 911 if your child:
- is choking
- has stopped breathing or is turning blue
- has possible poisoning (call the nearest Poison Control Center)
- has suffered a head injury with passing out, throwing up, or abnormal behavior
- has an injury to neck or spine
- has a severe burn
- has a seizure that lasts three to five minutes
- has bleeding that cannot be stopped
Go to an emergency department or call 911 for help with health problems such as:
- Trouble breathing
- Passing out, fainting
- Severe allergic reaction with trouble breathing, swelling, hives
- High fevers with headache and stiff neck
- High fevers that do not get better with medicine
- Sudden changes in behavior such as inability to speak, see, walk or move
- Heavy bleeding
- Deep wound
- Serious burn
- Coughing or throwing up blood
- Possible broken bone, especially if the bone is pushing through the skin
- A body part near an injured bone is numb, tingling, weak, cold, or pale
- Unusual or bad headache or chest pain
- Fast heartbeat that does not slow down
- Throwing up or loose stools that do not stop
- Dehydration (mouth is dry, no tears, no wet diapers in 18 hours, soft spot in the skull is sunken)
Pediatric inpatients are cared for in the TGH Children’s Hospital where team members – nurses, therapists, child life specialists and more – work to provide comfort and resources to pediatric patients and their families.
The following health issues are better suited for a visit to your physician or an urgent care center:
If the problem is not life threatening or risking disability, but you are concerned and you cannot see the doctor soon enough, go to an urgent care clinic. Problems that can be treated by your child’s physician or at an urgent care clinic include:
- Common illnesses, such as colds, the flu, earaches, sore throats, minor headaches, low-grade fevers, and limited rashes
- Minor injuries, such as sprains, bruises, minor cuts and burns, minor broken bones, or minor eye injuries