Serving the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire of Georgia and South Carolina.
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Wondering where to go when your child suddenly gets sick or injured? SouthCoast Health pediatrician, Dr. L. Nelson Elam explains why starting with your pediatrician is often the best choice before turning to a local urgent care clinic or the ER.
Let’s start with the exceptions. There are certain situations when your child should not come to the office first. If your child has difficulty breathing, is gasping for air, having seizures, has a head injury with vomiting or confusion, a severe allergic reaction, serious bleeding or trauma, or is younger than two months old with a fever, go directly to the emergency department or call 911.
Emergency rooms are best equipped to handle life-threatening issues, as they have immediate access to imaging, lab work, and specialists.
If you’re traveling and your child becomes ill, call your SouthCoast Health pediatrician’s office first. We can help determine whether your child should be seen right away at a local facility or if it’s safe to wait until you return home. This helps us coordinate care and ensure proper follow-up.
Most of the time, though, your child’s pediatrician should be your first call. Our doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants are highly trained pediatric specialists and we work as a team. You can trust that your child is being seen by someone experienced in caring for children and familiar with your family’s health history.
At our pediatric offices, your child benefits from:
Urgent care clinics may be convenient, but they don’t always have pediatric-trained providers. Misdiagnosis or unnecessary prescriptions can happen when the provider doesn’t specialize in children’s care. Seeing your pediatrician helps ensure your child gets the right treatment the first time without the confusion or gaps in communication that can happen when care is split between multiple locations.
At SouthCoast Health, our pediatric team offers the entire breadth of pediatric care, from well visits and preventive care to acute visits and urgent care. Our Pediatric Urgent Care services ensure that your child receives continuous, coordinated care from the providers who know them best.
Visit our website to make an appointment with a SouthCoast Health Pediatric Provider or make a Pediatric Urgent Care appointment.
Whether you are looking for a primary care doctor or a pediatrician, or another medical specialist, SouthCoast Health has you covered with its wide range of world-class healthcare services, available throughout the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry. Founded in 1996, SouthCoast Health has 120 physicians and medical professionals in 17 locations in Savannah, Richmond Hill, Pooler, Rincon, Baxley, Hilton Head, Hinesville, and Statesboro. SouthCoast Health offers comprehensive medical services including: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Allergy and Asthma, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Eye Care, Imaging, Infectious Diseases, Nephrology, Neurology, Physical Therapy, Podiatry, Surgery, Clinical Trial Research Studies, Diabetic Self-Management Training Sessions, Dietetic Counseling, Laboratory Services, Massage Therapy, Optical Shop, Pharmacy, and Urgent Care.
SouthCoast Health has 120 physicians and medical professionals in 18 locations in Savannah, Richmond Hill, Pooler, Rincon, Baxley, Hinesville, and Statesboro.
