University Health houses two American College of Surgeons verified Level I trauma centers, one for children and one for adults. This means our programs have met the highest standards and shown excellence and expertise in the care of the most complex, severely injured patients. We have programs that center on injury prevention education, pre-hospital care, in-hospital care, and rehabilitation after injury.
Our facility is unique because we are one of the few facilities across the country where care is delivered a way that allows families to be evaluated together. When there are events that impact the whole family, like a car crash, a mother and child won’t need to be separated to receive life-changing care. They’ll be treated in the same place!
Why Is a Pediatric Trauma Center Important?
Pediatric trauma centers are important because they serve a patient population with unique medical needs. University Hospital is the only Level I trauma center in all of South Texas and serves patients from over 27,000 square miles. We care for children from around our region and give them the best outcomes possible.
“We often say the children are not little adults,” said Dr. Katie Wiggins-Dohlvik, pediatric trauma surgeon and medical director of the pediatric trauma center at University Health. “Their injury patterns are different, their physiology is different and their anatomy is different. So, we should and do care for them differently than adults.”
Pediatric trauma centers are staffed by specialists with extra training in the care of children. At University Hospital, a child’s trauma care team may consist of doctors with expertise in:
- Pediatric neurosurgery
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Pediatric ICU
- Pediatric emergency medicine
- Pediatric anesthesiology
- Pediatric gastroenterology
- Pediatric hematology
- Pediatric surgery
- Pediatric ear, nose, throat and facial surgery
When children sustain complex injuries, experts from different areas come together to provide the full spectrum of care for a child and the child heals better. You can watch one of our former patients talk about his experience at the trauma center and his rehabilitation journey afterwards.
Pediatric vs. Adult Trauma Centers
Pediatric trauma centers are focused on the care of children. Our pediatric trauma center is staffed by pediatric specialists. Our doctors have undergone extra training to become specialized in treating children. The nurses and therapists here have specialized experiences to help them treat children.
Additionally, pediatric trauma centers are equipped with resources designed specifically for children. These range from kid sized equipment like IVs and breathing tubes to kid centered procedure areas and operating rooms.
Common Causes of Pediatric Trauma
Pediatric trauma centers treat very severely injured children. Minor or non-life-threatening injuries like broken bones can sometimes be treated closer to home in places like the pediatric emergency room.
According to Wiggins, some of the most common injuries treated in our pediatric trauma center are the result of:
- Car crashes
- Gunshot wounds
- Sports injuries
Wiggins said in the U.S., firearms are now the leading cause of death in children and the number of children who have sustained injuries in firearm-related injuries has nearly doubled at University Hospital in the last four years.
“We see an alarming and an increasing number of children in our community affected by firearm injury. We care for numerous children every week who have been shot. On average we see one child die every month because of a firearm injury. We want this trend to stop,” Wiggins said.
Social Support after Injury
Helping patients and families with the full spectrum of care after the initial injury is important, too. The trauma team at University Health understands the importance of healing the whole person, not just physical injuries. Our support staff includes Child Life specialists, a comprehensive mental health team, social workers and case managers.
“We have a dedicated social worker and case manager that help the families with any needs they might have outside of the hospital room,” Wiggins said. “The world doesn't stop when you have an injured kid and it’s really hard for families to balance all of that. We have great resources that really help us provide family-centered care.”
Pediatric Rehabilitation after Injury
Some children need physical rehabilitation after an injury, especially children with brain injuries. The Women’s & Children’s Hospital has a pediatric rehab unit with a state-of-the-art rehab gym dedicated to inpatient rehab for these children.
Pediatric Trauma Care at University Health
We hope trauma doesn’t affect you or your family, but if it does you can trust the team of pediatric trauma specialists at University Health to take care of you and your child. As a Level I trauma center, we have the team of experts and state-of-the-art technology to give your child the best recovery. Learn more on our website.
