When to visit the ER for vomiting & diarrhea

If your child is experiencing symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting, it can be due to any number of reasons. Both vomiting and diarrhea are common symptoms of food poisoning and the stomach flu, among other common ailments. So how do you know if your child's pain is severe enough to require an emergency department visit?

If your child has a low-grade fever and/or vomits once, call a doctor to be seen the next day.

While vomiting in and of itself may not be cause for concern, vomiting with the following associated symptoms may indicate a larger issue. Visit the ER if your child meets these criteria or shows any of these additional symptoms.

• The child is younger than 3 months old
• Repetitive vomiting
• Not urinating or wetting diapers
• Lethargic
• Inconsolable
• High fever
  • Higher than 100.4 degrees for children younger than 3 months old
  • Higher than 102.2 degrees for children older than 3 months old

Similarly to vomiting, diarrhea may be an outcome of common ailments. However, when your child's diarrhea is accompanied by these symptoms, you should seek emergency care.

• Blood in diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Sunken eyes
• Not urinating or wetting diapers
• Lethargic
• Inconsolable
• High fever
  • Higher than 100.4 degrees for children under 3 months old
  • Higher than 102.2 degrees for children over 3 months old

Patients can complete advance check-in to any of Wesley's four emergency rooms with a free mobile app available for Apple iPhones in iTunes and for Android Phones in the Google Play app Store. Patients can also complete advance registration at Wesley ER Check In. Users simple select which Wesley facility they would like to go to and fill out a few required fields. The selected ER will be instantly notified, enabling the ER staff to better prepare for the patient's arrival. The app and website include the facilities' average wait times so patients can better plan their visit.

ER wait times are approximate and provided for informational purposes only. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911.

ER wait times represent a four-hour rolling average updated every 30 minutes and are defined as the time of patient arrival until the time the patient is greeted by a qualified medical professional. Patients are triaged at arrival and are seen by a qualified medical professional in priority order based on their presenting complaint and reason for visit.

The ER wait time represents the time it takes to see a qualified medical professional, defined as a doctor of medicine (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), physician assistant (PA) or advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP).

National average wait time is one hour, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HCA hospitals strive to beat the national average.

Wesley's main emergency department also provides Ready Care services, an “express lane” through the emergency department in a convenient, timely setting. These services are an alternative care route to the regular emergency department where treatment is determined on the severity of the patient's condition. Ready Care is ideal for patients who need immediate care for small emergencies, such as sprains, sore throats, ear infections and rashes. The service area is managed by providers trained in emergency medicine and is fully supervised by board-certified physicians. Patients are referred to the area through the regular emergency department.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please contact 911 or seek medical attention immediately.