Where to Find the Best Pediatric Emergency Care in NYC and Beyond

Where to Find the Best Pediatric Emergency Care in NYC and Beyond

No one ever wants to have to take their kids to the emergency room, but as a mom,  it’s usually an inevitable visit,  sooner or later. As a mom of three, I’ve been to many emergency rooms over the years with each of my kids, and they are definitely not all created equal. The best time to map out the top ERs in your area is well before you ever need one.

We compiled a list of some excellent emergency departments in the city that offer various levels of care. No matter what you go for, whether a chronic condition, sudden illness, or a trauma, you want the most capable, experienced minds and hands, and then you want as pleasant an experience as possible for your child (and for you!).

Check out our list:

NYU Langone Health KiDS Emergency Department/Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital
Kips Bay
570 First Ave.
New York, NY 10016
212-263-5550

Located within Tisch Hospital, the Pediatric Emergency Department is part of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone. It is a dedicated kids-only ER with 24/7 pediatric-specific emergency care, staffed by pediatric-trained emergency doctors and nurses.

Before you go, you can view waiting times, which are posted on the website and updated every 5 minutes. Kids get a quick initial screening by a pediatric emergency specialist as soon as they arrive, and then are moved into a treatment room right away.

There is a family-friendly waiting area that is deliberately kid-friendly, with toys, games, books, and child-life specialists to help ease stress. The whole medical team is child-centered and goes out of their way to help put kids at ease.

Because Hassenfeld is part of a larger children’s hospital with many pediatric specialties, if your child needs follow-up or specialized care after the ER visit, they’re well-equipped to provide it. There is access to more than 35 NYU pediatric specialties if your child needs extra care.

Great for Manhattan families (or those from the five boroughs willing to travel) who want a caring, kid-focused ER experience with the top medical minds, or for kids who might be particularly sensitive/anxious about hospitals.

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Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital
Washington Heights
3959 Broadway (at 165th St.)
New York, NY 10032
(212) 305-6628 

Located within NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, the Cohen Children’s Emergency Department is a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center and, so they can treat the most serious and complex emergencies, trauma cases, and pretty much any pediatric medical need. Your child will have access to top pediatric specialists in just about every area. This can be a godsend if the emergency turns into a longer hospital stay or if your child needs specialized care.

It is staffed around the clock by board-certified pediatric emergency physicians, trauma specialists, and nurses trained specifically to care for infants, children, and teens. There are 29 private treatment rooms with TV, videos, and games to keep kids comfortable, and two high-tech emergency suites for the most urgent cases.

Plus, there is a Kids Express “Fast Track” area to speed up care for less urgent issues during busy hours, and self-registration kiosks for non-urgent visits that take as little as 90 seconds. The waiting room is a calming space for kids with reading nooks, internet access, game tables, and a multimedia wall with bright natural light, vibrant colors, and floor-to-ceiling storybook illustrations throughout.

Great for NYC families seeking a top-level pediatric trauma center with extensive resources, rapid access to specialists for serious traumas, complex illnesses, or anything beyond a typical ER visit. Yet the rapid triage also makes it ideal for minor illnesses, too.

Komansky Children’s Hospital
Upper East Side
525 East 68th St.
New York, NY 10065
212-746-3300

This is a Level 1 Trauma Center and a regional burn center located within NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The center can treat everything from minor injuries to the most serious emergencies. Their 24/7 pediatric-only ER is staffed entirely by doctors and nurses trained specifically to care for infants, children, teens, and young adults.

Families have direct access to a full range of pediatric specialists at Weill Cornell if your child needs extra care or admission to he hospital.

When you go, kids are assessed right away, and staff focus on fast pain relief and comfort, while using child-friendly tools, toys, and techniques to make the experience less scary. Charging stations are plentiful, and free Wi-Fi to keep devices going during long waits, which is a lifesaver ( not all ERs have this!)

Virtual Urgent Care is available for minor illnesses and injuries if you want to avoid an in-person trip (and who doesn’t, especially when flu and viruses are running rampant)

Great for NYC children who need a high-level pediatric trauma and burn center. The fast triage and virtual urgent care capability also make it great for treating minor illnesses on off-hours when you can’t see your pediatrician.

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
Kips Bay
462 First Ave.
New York, NY 10016
212-562-5555

This ER was recently recognized as a “Pediatric Innovator” and earned the highest rating in the Always Ready for Children program, scoring nearly perfectly for the way they care for kids in emergencies. It’s a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center (the only one south of 68th Street in Manhattan), fully equipped to handle serious injuries for children across a large part of the city. The department treats all ill and injured children and young adults under 25, including those who need acute resuscitation for conditions like dehydration, sepsis, meningitis, trauma, or toxic exposure.

The emergency department is designed specifically for children, with treatment rooms, special asthma and respiratory care areas, trauma bays, staffed by pediatric-trained emergency physicians and nurses. There are multiple exam rooms, isolation spaces, a trauma room, an acute care area, and a big family-friendly waiting area.

The department also supports children and teens with urgent mental health needs through a state-certified Child and Adolescent Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, which includes an evaluation unit, a 6-bed Extended Observation Unit, an interim crisis clinic, and access to mobile crisis services.

Great for families in Manhattan (especially lower/central Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn) who want a public hospital with trauma-capable and psychiatric pediatric care.

Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital
Upper East Side
1184 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10029
(212) 241-9500

The pediatric emergency department was recently redesigned to add more space and increase the number of beds. There is little to no wait time, as kids are brought directly to treatment rooms after check-in. A new resuscitation area for critically ill children ensures that the sickest patients get rapid, optimized care.

The whole department is designed with children in mind, and colorful lighting and interactive elements make visits less intimidating, and there’s even a low-stimulation room for kids with autism or sensory sensitivities. Being part of a large health system at NewYork-Presbyterian  means that if your child needs admission or specialized follow-up, pediatric specialists and intensive care units are readily available.

Great for Upper East Side families seeking a newer, thoughtfully designed pediatric ER that balances quality medical care with a less stressful, more comforting environment for children.

Maimonides Children’s Hospital Pediatric Emergency Department
Borough Park, Brooklyn
4802 10th Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11219
(718) 283-7500

This is Brooklyn’s only dedicated children’s ER and Level 2 pediatric trauma center, so for families in Brooklyn or nearby boroughs, it offers convenient access without needing to travel to Manhattan. Certified and equipped to treat life-threatening injuries from serious incidents (falls, car accidents, etc.)

The recently expanded emergency department has 32 treatment areas, advanced imaging (X-ray, CT, ultrasound), trauma rooms, and dedicated pediatric resources, including the largest PICU and NICU in Brooklyn. There are dedicated pediatric trauma rooms and orthopedic procedure areas. There is also an accredited pediatric cardiology program (IAC–certified in fetal and pediatric echocardiography).

The emergency department is staffed by specialists trained to care for children, who respond differently to injuries than adults.

If your child has to have a hospital stay, the full-service pediatric hospital offers a complete range of inpatient services. Maimonides offers a full range of pediatric inpatient services (NICU/PICU, oncology, cardiology, etc.), which helps keep care coordinated.

The Pediatric Hospitalist Program provides individualized care coordination throughout a child’s hospital stay. Child Life Services offers play, art, and music therapy to support emotional well-being and ease the stress of hospitalization

Great for families in Brooklyn or beyond who want a full-featured, child-specific hospital with access to top specialists.

NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital 
Park Slope, Brooklyn
506 6th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 780-5025

Right in the heart of Park Slope, one of the most family-dense neighborhoods in the city, this hospital is a lifesaver for local parents who want fast, reliable pediatric care without crossing a bridge. Their pediatric emergency team handles everything from fevers and injuries to more complicated concerns.

Specialized pediatric emergency and critical care services are tailored for infants and children, and staffed by dual board-certified emergency and pediatric physicians and nurses. They have a dedicated pediatric area within NYP Brooklyn Methodist’s ER, designed for a calmer experience for families.

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for critically ill children treats conditions like respiratory failure, severe illness, and postoperative recovery. A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) includes a 24-bed Level III NICU for newborns needing intensive medical care, equipped to care for extremely premature babies and infants recovering from surgery. Plus, there is a transitional Care Nursery that helps babies who need extra support before heading home.

Great for Brooklyn families (especially those in Park Slope, Gowanus, Windsor Terrace, or nearby neighborhoods) who want a dependable, kid-savvy emergency department close to home for quick access, top specialists, and a calmer setting than the big Manhattan ERs.

Cohen Children’s Medical Center
New Hyde Park
269-01 76th Ave.
New Hyde Park, NY, 11040
(718) 470-7640

At less than 30 minutes from Queens, Cohen Children’s Pediatric Emergency Medicine is the only freestanding pediatric emergency department on Long Island and the largest Level I pediatric trauma center in New York. It offers dedicated, round-the-clock emergency care exclusively for infants, children, and adolescents. Another plus is that it is a pediatric-only facility and staffed 24/7 by board-certified pediatric emergency physicians and specialized pediatric nurses. 

The department tends to a host of urgent needs, from routine childhood sicknesses and injuries to serious surgical and trauma cases. There is also a Pediatric Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center to support kids and teens who are having a mental-health crisis right alongside medical emergencies.

Since Cohen Children’s is part of a major pediatric teaching hospital within Northwell Health, the whole place is built with kids in mind, staffed by people who are specially trained to care for young patients and all the unique needs they have.

Great for local Queens’ families who want fast, specialized emergency care close to home, especially when their kids need a pediatric-only team that can handle everything from minor injuries to serious trauma or behavioral-health emergencies.

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