https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:45:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1895366 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:33:59 +0000 lamariniere 1895366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would call the ambulance for something major -- I also don't have a car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1895293 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:02:36 +0000 Arden 1895293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it were a fall where I was concerned about stabilizing her neck or something, or if she wasn't breathing and needed intubation, I'd call 911. In almost any other case, I'd drive to the ER. </p> <p>To be perfectly honest (and I'm really sorry if I offend anyone) I don't have a lot of faith in EMT's.<br /> My best friend is an EMT, my father-in-law, my uncle, and my cousin.<br /> The amount of training they needed to become EMT's was really minimal. They consistently give me outdated advice or say things that I KNOW aren't medically sound. Paramedics may be a different story, but EMT's I really don't think could handle an issue better than I could myself.</p> <p>I especially am appalled by what EMT's know about emergency birth. My OBGYN friend told me that if I gave birth on the side of the road or in my bathroom at home, DON'T call an ambulance because I'd be better off without them. I've also seen this demonstrated right in front of me with doula babies who came quickly.<br /> They are trained to immediately clamp cords which is the worse possible thing you can do in an emergency birth (especially for a baby who is having breathing issues), etc. The thing that makes me want to scream is when they use a dirty shoelace to tie off a cord... that carries a high risk of infection when leaving the cord alone would be so much safer anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1895219 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 12:27:22 +0000 fairy 1895219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Unless I was also hurt or she couldn't be moved easily, I would drive myself - ambulances are expensive! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1895201 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 12:17:17 +0000 jetsa 1895201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We'd drive to the ER more than likely but we are extremely rural and could definitely get to the hospital quicker than an ambulance could make it to our house and then to the er. We were actually told 'off the record' at our baby CPR class to do this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1895189 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 12:13:28 +0000 catomd00 1895189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd probably go to the ER. We live 1 mile from the hospital, it would likely be much quicker. Unless there was something I needed to be doing to help (e.g., CPR) instead of driving. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894995 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 10:59:23 +0000 looch 1894995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no idea if I would be calm enough to drive...knowing me, it wouldn't be a good thing. If my husband were with me, it would be one thing, but me, alone in the car with my sick kid, bad news. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894989 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 10:55:35 +0000 Mae 1894989@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.Panda: same. if it was something where a paramedic could help i'd call 911. If she just needed transported I'd take her myself. I live like less than a mile from the hospital so I think I could get her to the hospital faster than the ambulance could get here and back bc there is no traffic between her and there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894974 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 10:42:53 +0000 Mrs.Panda 1894974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it's something that requires treatment on the way (severe injury, not breathing, choking, etc...) I would call 911. They can intubate, give IV drugs, deliver oxygen, do basic life support, things like that. If it's something like a fever or a bump on the head, I'd likely drive her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894916 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 10:09:31 +0000 Cole 1894916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am thankful that we live a two minute drive to the er and that local response times are super fast (neighbors called when their grandson had a seizure and they were there in under two minutes.) I think a lot of my decision will be based on how well I can handle getting the child in the car safely and then getting to the hospital. If seconds or minutes count I am not wasting them by buckling into a car seat, parking or even messing with the valet. On the other hand there are plenty of situations where driving is perfectly reasonable, broken bones, mild allergic reactions, falls etc. Breathing related and seizures top my list for calling 911. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894914 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 10:09:07 +0000 Mrs.Someone 1894914@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live walking distance to the children's hospital, yet when we took our Baby Safe class they said we should still call 911 since response times are so good in this area. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894893 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 10:02:05 +0000 regberadaisy 1894893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Unless there was a broken bone or similar I would take them to a nearby pediatric urgent care myself. I would be there before a emerge vehicle is even dispatched. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894869 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:50:49 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1894869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depends on the situation!</p> <p>When Chloe was 3 months old she had shallow, rapid breathing and a temp we couldn't get under control. We called the ped first to find out which hospital to go to, then took her to childrens. Furthest hospital, but best equipped. </p> <p>Later that night, after discharge, she had a febrile seizure at home. I sure as hell called 911! An ambulance took her back to children's. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894859 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:46:39 +0000 Mrs.KMM 1894859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me, it would totally depend on the situation and what the concern was. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894830 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:36:09 +0000 yoursilverlining 1894830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it would depend on the severity of the issue. Something that isn’t likely to drastically worsen in the 20 minutes it will take me to the hospital; I’ll drive to the ER. Something that needs the attention of a medical professional immediately; I’ll call 911.</p> <p>I don’t really think of them as interchangeable methods of transport to a hospital. One comes with trained medical professionals, one comes with just me driving my car. Appropriate for different situations.</p> <p>@Adira: The one time we've taken E to the ER we were seen immediately too (like, they didn't even take our info, check us in, etc.). That has *never* happened to me when I've done to the ER myself, no matter how sick I was. I think (rightly) they react differently to babies/toddlers coming in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894829 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:36:01 +0000 jedeve 1894829@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: I went to the er for vomiting last year. You definitely get moved up the list if you don't make it to the bathroom! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894824 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:32:57 +0000 blackbird 1894824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The closest fire station is housed right outside our subdivision. They are closer than the nearest ER. So that's how I'd make that call </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894822 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:31:45 +0000 Adira 1894822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: It might also depend on how busy they are at the time and how severe they perceive your injury/illness. There have definitely been times, I've had to just wait with Xander, but the couple times it's felt "life threatening" they've been pretty quick to respond to us. It could also be because he's a baby/toddler and maybe they try to treat them more quickly than adults? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894818 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:29:23 +0000 ShootingStar 1894818@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: Maybe it was just our hospital, or maybe because it wasn't the baby. The times I've had to go to the ER (once was after a car accident) it took forever and wasn't taken seriously since I didn't arrive by ambulance. And a few months ago I had to take DH because he was throwing up incessantly and they just couldn't give him the time of day for hours. Finally when he threw up in the waiting room they at least gave him zofran. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894816 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:28:32 +0000 maddyz 1894816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have called 911 twice for grown ups, one was an elderly woman who took a very bad fall in front of where I work and the second was my grandmother choking (the heimlich is amazing). Both times I was REALLY glad to be on the phone with someone talking me through what to do. I have called 911 for safety/police things too and that was also a good experience. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894808 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:24:38 +0000 Adira 1894808@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: For something like what you described, I'd have to call 911 - no way am I going to be able to manhandle Hubs into the car while he's having a seizure!!</p> <p>@ShootingStar: I think it depends! We've gone the the ER a handful of times, and twice now, they've taken one look at Xander and immediately brought him back to get treatment without even checking him in first! This last time we were there, I walked in holding Xander and a nurse was bringing a patient back and as soon as she saw us, she turned to her patient and said "Wait right here, I need to take him back first!" and ushered us to be seen. We had JUST walked in the door! So they definitely DO take you seriously if you look like you need it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894792 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:18:20 +0000 ShootingStar 1894792@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it's something serious I would think you're better off calling 911. That way a trained medical professional gets to you within minutes and then they can communicate with the hospital what the severity is. I feel like if you just show up at the ER they don't take you as seriously. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894790 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:17:58 +0000 avivoca 1894790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: At the time, we lived about a 15 minute drive to the closest hospital. Now there are two hospitals down the street which is a five minute drive. I'd still probably call the ambulance, the fire station is much closer than the hospital. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894786 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:15:51 +0000 bunnylove08 1894786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. We live 2 blocks from the hospital so we would rush her there ourselves, BUT that depends on what happened to her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894785 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:14:44 +0000 FliegepilzHut 1894785@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Rule of thumb for me...if kiddo is unresponsive or color is bad (gray/blue, very pale) or has a severe injury (unstable break, profuse bleeding -- not stopping or I can't apply pressure and drive the car), I'm calling 911. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894779 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:11:48 +0000 Adira 1894779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: That's a good point about something like a seizure. In all the cases that I've gone to the ER, it's been for Xander (allergic reaction and breathing problems) and I've always been able to get him in the car myself easily enough and just drive him there. Plus our hospital is very close, so it's a quick drive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894771 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:07:28 +0000 avivoca 1894771@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This has happened to me (not with the baby, with the husband). In this instance, he was having a seizure due to his blood sugar being dangerously low, and it was more prudent to call 911. They got there very quickly, and he got help much more quickly than he would have had I tried to drive him to the hospital.</p> <p>For me, it depends on the severity. For a broken limb, very bad cut, or heaven forbid, a grave wound, I would call an ambulance. If it's a fever or rash, I would take the person to the ER myself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894769 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:07:23 +0000 Adira 1894769@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've always just driven Xander to the ER myself - never really occurred to me to call 911! I've called his pediatrician first though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894766 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:06:52 +0000 Ginabean3 1894766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it would depend on the situation! Hopefully you never have to make the decision! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894763 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:05:01 +0000 mrsjyw 1894763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depending on the situation I could see wanting to drive LO myself, but in all cases I'd call 911 first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/call-911-or-go-to-er#post-1894760 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:03:54 +0000 Mamaof2 1894760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Random question - kids aren't sick</p> <p>I always wonder if something happened to my child if I would call 911 and wait for them to arrive or just put them in the car and rush to the ER?</p> <p>I feel like waiting for the ambulance would be excruciating and I could drive to the ER faster!</p> <p>Have you ever thought about this? </p>