Trauma care from a regional leader.

As a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, we are uniquely qualified to deliver life-saving care to children. Board-certified pediatric trauma surgeons and emergency medicine doctors are available 24/7 to treat burns and the most complex injuries.

Our goal is to get your child stabilized as quickly as possible so they can focus on healing and returning home.

Exceptional Care, Close to Home

Critically injured children need care tailored to their unique needs. At St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, our Level I Pediatric Trauma Center is dedicated exclusively to kids. From immediate emergency medical treatment through every step on the journey to recovery, we're here for your child.

As with everything we do, we do it with compassion and a child-friendly approach that families throughout the Philadelphia region have come to expect from St. Chris.

Our dedicated Trauma Center is part of our state-of-the-art Pediatric Emergency Department. The facility contains 34 private exam rooms and is specially designed to deliver the fastest care to the most critical children.

We also have the only verified Pediatric Burn Center in the region. Our team includes plastic surgeons, pediatric surgeons, pediatricians, nurses, social workers, and other specially trained professionals. We treat young burn victims and guide them through any emotional problems resulting from their injuries.

Comprehensive Pediatric Trauma Care

We manage all of the following types of critical injuries:

  • Airway obstructions
  • Auto accident injuries
  • Blunt abdominal trauma
  • Complex fractures
  • Facial trauma
  • Gunshot wounds
  • Lung contusions
  • Organ damage
  • Serious burns
  • Traumatic brain injury

We offer:

  • Direct access to pediatric surgeons specializing in orthopedics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, trauma surgery, kidney transplant, and neurosurgery.
  • Critical care transport services for children who need to be moved between facilities.
  • A pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) staffed with pediatric critical care specialists.
  • Social workers and Child Life specialists dedicated to helping children and families get the support they need.
  • A blood conservation program that offers options for families who choose not to have transfusions or blood products given to their child during surgery.
  • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for children with acute respiratory failure.

Community Outreach

We treat the most critically injured children. However, we also teach members of our community to prevent traumatic injuries and provide emergency medical attention when needed.

We provide ongoing training for healthcare professionals and local first responders on the following topics:

  • Blunt abdominal trauma (risk assessment tool)
  • Management of pediatric burns
  • Management of solid organ injury
  • Pediatric maxillofacial trauma
  • Preparation of pediatric trauma patients for transport
  • Resuscitation and stabilization of a child with traumatic injury
  • Stop the Bleed® training
  • Traumatic head injury management