CHRISTUS Children's Emergency Center

24/7 Emergency Care for Children in Downtown San Antonio

When your child is hurting or scared, you want answers fast.

At CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital, the emergency room is built only for kids. Every space, every piece of equipment, and every caregiver is focused on the needs of infants, children, and teens.

Here, your child is met with:

• Pediatric-trained teams who understand how children show pain, fear, or illness
• Caregivers who listen closely and guide your family with calm, clear communication
• Equipment sized for growing bodies — from tiny newborns to large teens
• Access to pediatric subspecialists from orthopedics and cardiology to ENT, neurology, infectious disease, and many more
• A Level III pediatric trauma center for the most serious emergencies
• Pediatric surgeons and anesthesiologists available for prompt assessment, surgery, and stabilization
• Child Life Specialists who prepare, distract, and comfort children through difficult moments
• Advanced pediatric imaging, testing, and lab services not available in urgent care settings

Care Designed for Children

Kids aren’t just small adults. They need care designed for their age, size, and stage of development. In our pediatric ER, your child receives:

In our pediatric ER, your child receives:

• A calm, child-friendly environment
• Nurses and doctors trained to recognize symptoms in babies and nonverbal children
• Testing and imaging equipment sized for infants through teens
• Clear explanations in language you and your child can understand

From the moment you arrive, a pediatric triage nurse checks your child’s breathing, comfort, color, and behavior to understand what they need most urgently.

Sedation Services for Children

Some procedures are uncomfortable or require children to stay very still. Our pediatric sedation team helps your child feel calm, relaxed, and safe.

Your child may stay awake but relaxed, or sleep more deeply while still breathing on their own. A caregiver stays with your child throughout the procedure, explaining each step in simple, reassuring language.

Sedation can support children during:

• Setting or casting a broken bone
• Placing or removing central lines
• MRI, CT, or nuclear medicine studies
• Catheter placement or removal
• Minor surgical procedures
• Bone marrow tests or lumbar punctures
• Wound care and dressing changes
• EEG testing
• Hearing tests like Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)

Child Life Specialists offer distraction, comfort, and emotional support during these moments.