Pediatric Emergency Care
Contact Us 312.227.4000
60,000 Patient Visits
Specialties & Conditions Emergency Medicine
As the premier pediatric trauma center in the Chicago area, Lurie Children’s Kenneth & Anne Griffin Emergency Care Center provides acute care for ill and injured children, with more than 60,000 patient visits each year. The emergency care center is staffed 24 hours a day by board-certified pediatric emergency medicine specialists and fellows. It is supported by a broad range of pediatric medical and surgical subspecialties and state-of-the-art diagnostic services.
Experience
Our Emergency Medicine team includes the expertise of 10 board-certified pediatric emergency medicine specialists and six fellows (board-certified pediatricians pursuing advanced training in pediatric emergency medicine).
Elizabeth R. Alpern, MD MSCE, is head of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Lurie Children’s and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Alpern’s special interests include quality of care, infectious disease, and clinical epidemiology.
Meet the Team
Visiting the Emergency Department
If your child’s injury or illness is serious or worsening, do not delay seeking care at our Emergency Department. Experienced physicians and nurses are poised around the clock to handle even the most complicated, life-threatening injuries or conditions, such as:
- Newborns (under two months) with a fever of 100.5° F or higher
- Severe chest pain, trouble breathing, passing out or fainting, coughing up blood
- Severe asthma attacks
- Severe dehydration (child is lethargic, has dry lips or mouth, hasn’t urinated in 4 to 6 hours, vomiting, diarrhea)
- Serious allergic reactions (swelling, trouble breathing)
- Injuries such as large and complex cuts or wounds, open or severe bone fractures, ingesting poison, serious burns
- Sudden neurologic concerns such as changes in mental status (child is hard to wake up or is confused when you wake them up), seizures, high fevers with headache and a stiff neck, sudden changes in the ability to speak, see, walk or move
- Safety concerns and thoughts of harming themselves or others
Find out what to expect during your visit
Immediate Care Services
For non-emergencies and illnesses that are not life-threatening, we offer in-person Immediate Care services at our Outpatient Center in Lincoln Park and Outpatient Center in Northbrook as well as a Virtual Immediate Care option. These services are available at select times each day of the year, including holidays.
Emergency Location & Contact Information
Lurie Children's emergency room is located at our main hospital. The address is:
225 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
View in Google Maps
The Emergency Care Center is located off of the second floor lobby. It may be accessed in two ways:
- From the Reyes Lobby on the second floor.
- From the first floor lobby near the Superior Street Entrance. The elevators located by the security desk go directly to the Emergency Care Center.
Driving Directions
Enter the main Lurie Children’s driveway from Chicago Avenue. Drive southbound toward the red Children's Emergency sign. Enter the hospital lobby to the right. The elevators inside, near the security desk, will take you directly to the Emergency Care Center.
Contact Information
If your child is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. To contact the staff in the Emergency Care Center, call 312.227.4000.
Emergency Department Visits During COVID-19
We urge families to seek medical attention for their child by first contacting your primary care physician or pediatrician. If you do not have a primary care physician or pediatrician and your child’s injury or illness is worsening, do not delay seeking care.
Our pediatric Emergency Departments (EDs) at our main campus and Central DuPage Hospital are distinct facilities from general EDs which may be seeing adult COVID-19 patients. We are taking every precaution to keep our patients, families and staff safe in our hospital. This includes wearing personal protective equipment; screening patients, families and staff for COVID-19 symptoms; and isolating every patient visiting the ED in an exam room upon arrival.
Emergency Medicine Leadership Team
David Kruger, DNP, MSN, BSN, CNML
Director, Emergency Services
Milica Stojanovic
Sr. Administrative Assistant to the Emergency Department, Interfacility Transport & PAC
Dusty Brinson, MS, BSN, RN-BC, CPEN, CPN, CEN
Manager, Patient Care Operations
Natalie Cusack, BSN, RN, CPN
Manager, Patient Care Operations
Lauren Lenti, MSN, MBA, RN
Manager, Patient Care Operations
Kimberly Denicolo, MSN, RN, CNL, CPEN
Clinical Quality Coordinator
Patrick Hebert, MBA
Sr. Performance Improvement Consultant
Rebecca A. Steinmann, MS, APN, NPFD-BC, CPEN, CEN, TCRN, CCRN, CCNS, FAEN
Nursing Professional Development Practitioner
Lauren Mrozek, MSN, RN, CPN, CEN
Nursing Professional Development Associate
Mary Otting, BSN, RN, CEN
EMS Coordinator
Patricia Aquino, BSN, RN
Trauma Coordinator
Valerie Rondon
Trauma Registrar
Research
Emergency medicine-focused research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through the Grainger Research Program in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Our physician-scientists conduct studies on an ongoing basis focusing on the health of ill and injured children
Emergency Medicine News & Stories
Philanthropy
Your support is vital in helping us continue to make a difference in the lives of patients and families. Lurie Children's relies on philanthropic funding to enhance its programs, services and research for children. To learn more, please e-mail the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation at foundation@luriechildrens.org or call 312.227.7500.