Trauma Services

CHKD's Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center offers the highest level of care available to trauma patients under the age of 15. Our comprehensive team of pediatric surgeons, specialists, nurses, therapists and other clinicians takes care of trauma patients from the time of injury through rehabilitation.

Our Comprehensive Approach

Research shows that children treated at pediatric trauma facilities have higher survival rates and better outcomes than those treated at adult facilities. Full-service, freestanding children’s hospitals like CHKD offer young trauma patients experienced, comprehensive care backed by a full-range of pediatric support services.

Trauma patients at CHKD benefit from the following unique services:

• The region’s only pediatric general surgeons, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, urologists, cardiac surgeons and anesthesiologists
• An experienced, PALS-trained pediatric critical care transport team
• Consultation and care in more than 25 pediatric subspecialties including pediatric emergency medicine, critical care and physical medicine and rehabilitation
• A 25-bed pediatric intensive care unit
• An 8-bed acute inpatient rehabilitation unit
• Pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapy
• Emotional and educational support services like child life therapy, social work and hospital schoolteachers

Pediatric providers from some or all of the specialties above collaborate to meet the specific needs of each patient. The goal of our child-centered care is always to restore the child to optimal health.

Injury Prevention Programs and Education

Each year, more than 400 children are admitted to CHKD as a result of a traumatic injury. Another 10,000 patient visits are treated for an injury in our pediatric Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centers. These trauma related injuries can range from sports injuries to falls, burns, motor vehicle accidents and many more.

To reduce the incidence of these injuries and raise community awareness, CHKD offers a variety of injury prevention programs and education. Please see below. 

Coaches and Young Athletes

CHKD's Sports Performance Academy hosts various injury prevention classes year round for young athletes and coaches, including:

• Sideline Sensibility - a free injury prevention seminar offered to coaches and parents.
• Coaches Clinics - Offered several times per year, these clinics cover basic injury prevention information and protocols for returning to play after an injury. 
• ACL Injury Prevention - Young female athletes learn safe techniques while becoming stronger and more powerful. 

Car Seat Safety

The car seat safety program at CHKD provides free car seat safety checks, measures and installs special needs car seats and attends community health and safety education fairs throughout the year.

Parenting

CHKD's community outreach parent education program distributes injury prevention materials on home safety, burn prevention, car seat safety, safe sleep and more, and coordinates classes with Children's Medical Group pediatricians to address common newborn medical and safety concerns.