Lots of good information to dive into.
How many families do you know with children who have been admitted to the hospital? Plenty of kids visit the ER for the usual things—like ear infections and bumps and bruises (and maybe a broken bone). But that’s as close as most children get after they’re born to seeing the inside of a hospital, now that tonsillectomies are no longer routine. Still, there’s always that “what if.” Even if they’re a small percentage of the total, a large number of children every year do need hospital care. What do you do if you’re a parent of a child who is very sick or has an ongoing condition—say, diabetes or a heart defect—that needs care a big step up from the usual? Fewer than 3 percent of the roughly 5,000 U.S. hospitals have deep expertise in caring for children with serious problems. Your child’s pediatrician is your first source of guidance, of course. And U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the best pediatric facilities in the United States can help you compare institutions. This year, the number of specialties covered in America’s Best Children’s Hospitals has been raised from six to 10. The top 30 children’s hospitals are ranked in cancer, diabetes and endocrine disorders, digestive disorders, heart and heart surgery, kidney disorders, neonatal care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, respiratory disorders, and urology. – From US News & World Report