Emergencies
Life-Threatening Emergencies: 911
Poison Control: 800.222.1222
Directions to Norwalk Hospital
Directions to Bridgeport Hospital
Unpredictable emergencies can be stressful for both parents and children. If you believe you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911. If your child is taken to the emergency room we will be notified. At that time we can speak to you and the physician at the hospital and arrange for follow-up after your child is discharged.
Urgent Care During Office Hours
If your child is sick or injured and you feel your problem is urgent, but not an emergency requiring 911, please call our office 203.319.3939, listen to the prompts and press 8. You will be immediately connected to a nurse who will assess your problem over the phone. Usually in these situations we can suggest immediate steps you can take to start helping your child and see you promptly in the office. However, occasionally your child’s problem is best taken care of in an emergency room and we will direct you to take your child there.
Non-life-threatening urgent problems include:
- severe allergic reactions
- bad falls
- deep cuts and wounds
We can usually repair simple lacerations and do minor surgical procedures using local anesthesia in our office. We have medication and equipment to begin treatment and stabilize children with potentially serious medical emergencies.
If your child has ingested or may have ingested a non-prescribed medication or a potentially toxic substance, you should call Poison Control at 800.222.1222 and then call us. If you call us first, we will direct you to call Poison Control.
Urgent Care After Hours
After regular office hours the same guidelines apply: Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies and our office for urgent problems. In the early evening and weekend mornings you can speak to a nurse who will determine if your child needs to be seen in our office and direct you to come in. At other time, if you call and speak to the answering service, please give them a brief summary of your concerns. You will receive a call and advice from Night Nurse or the on-call physician. If your child needs to be seen in the emergency room at that time, you will be advised and can follow up with your physician or physician’s assistant the next morning. If you speak to Night Nurse we will receive a report and will follow up with you the next morning. However, if you know your child needs to be seen in the office the next day, please go ahead and call the next morning to make an appointment.
Night Nurse is a leading pediatric advice service that provides experienced pediatric nurse practitioners and nurses who can asses your child’s symptoms and answer urgent health questions over the phone after hours. They bring a wealth of clinical expertise to their contacts with you, and parents appreciate Night Nurse’s prompt responses and detailed, helpful advice.