When a child has a medical emergency, they need more than smaller equipment — they need specialized care designed specifically for children. Chippenham Hospital’s dedicated pediatric emergency room (ER) is designed specifically for infants, children and teens, with pediatric-trained clinicians and child-sized equipment.

Having access to a dedicated pediatric ER means child-focused expertise and support for families when every second counts.

A pediatric ER is an emergency department specifically designed to treat patients from birth through adolescence. Unlike a general or adult emergency room, a pediatric ER is staffed, equipped, and structured around the unique medical and emotional needs of children.

Children are not just “small adults.” Their bodies respond differently to illness, injury, and medication. That difference requires specialized training and resources.

Chippenham Hospital has specialized pediatric care, in an exclusive space away from the rest of the hospital.

In Chippenham’s pediatric ED our physicians have emergency medicine experience, our nurses specialize in caring for infants and children and our teams understand childhood illnesses, injuries and developmental stages.

Pediatric teams are trained to recognize signs and symptoms that can present differently in children, including:

• Age-appropriate treatment plans
• Protocols designed to support patient safety

For families, that means peace of mind knowing their child is being treated by professionals who focus exclusively on pediatric care.

Child-sized equipment and medications

Chippenham’s dedicated pediatric ER uses equipment designed specifically for children, including:

• Smaller IV lines and airway tools
• Pediatric ventilators and monitoring systems
• Weight-based medication dosing systems
• Child-specific imaging protocols to reduce radiation exposure

A child-centered environment

Emergency rooms can feel overwhelming. Our pediatric ER is designed to reduce fear and anxiety with:

• Dedicated entrance and waiting room away from the rest of the hospital
• Kid-friendly rooms and décor
• Child life specialists
• Family-centered care spaces
• 24-hour parent/guardian visitation
• Staff trained in communicating with children at different developmental stages
• A pediatric medical/surgical unit and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), should hospitalization be necessary

A calmer child is often easier to assess and treat, which improves both experience and outcomes.

Faster recognition of serious pediatric conditions

Certain emergencies are unique to children or present differently than they do in adults, such as:

• Respiratory distress
• High fevers in infants
• Dehydration
• Seizures
• Congenital conditions
• Pediatric trauma

A pediatric ER team is trained to quickly identify subtle signs of serious illness that may be missed in a general emergency setting.