Urgent care facilities have a variety of advantages that many people don’t consider when they’re figuring out what kind of care they need. One advantage, particularly for parents, is getting emergency care for your child. Below are the top ways urgent care can provide stellar service to your children the next time you need them.

One of urgent care’s largest advantages is the wait times. These are usually a common complaint when it comes to any medical facility, and can be especially frustrating when it’s your child that is being put through this routine. No one wants to sit around and feel like they are being ignored when they need help. The majority of urgent care facilities have an average wait time of approximately 15 minutes or less to see a physician. And depending on the severity of the case, 80% are usually seen in less than an hour.

In addition, urgent care facilities are also open longer, meaning you can visit them if you have a sudden emergency. While not every facility can provide 24 hour pediatric urgent care, most stay open from 9 am until 7 pm during the week. A significant portion even stay open during the weekends for your convenience.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. That’s all well and good, but what kind of care can they actually provide for my child? Well, there are numerous concerns that may cause you to take your child to one of these facilities instead of the local hospital. One example would be colds. Children can get sick a lot, with the average catching between six and ten colds a year. You don’t want to take your child to the doctor every time you think they might have a cold, do you? Of course not. But urgent care can help diagnose it and get you some prescriptions for cough medicine if you think they need it.

Another important treatment is ear infections. Research shows that approximately five out of every six children will get an ear infection before they’re three years old, and an estimated 40% can have multiple by that age. Ear infections are incredibly painful for your child, so it’s important to get it diagnosed and get some ear drops as quickly as possible.

Children in the U.S. suffer from several other kinds of ailments, including hay fever, food and skin allergies, as well as respiratory problems. Some of these are definitely more severe compared to the others and require medical treatment at the emergency room. However, these can also be diagnosed through a 24 hour pediatric urgent care if it’s not as life-threatening.

Not many people know about 24 hour pediatric urgent care services, which is why it’s important to be aware that this is an option for you and your child. If you think your child needs a fast diagnosis, consider giving them a chance to help.