Level I trauma center at Children's Medical Center Dallas: Advanced care for the most complex cases

As a Level I trauma center, Children’s Medical Center Dallas has the experts and tools to treat the most severe and life-threatening injuries. This includes:

• Pediatric surgeons available at all times

• Doctors who specialize in everything from brain injuries to broken bones and vision problems

• UT Southwestern faculty researching new innovations in trauma care

To learn more about our Level I trauma center, read how our team of pediatric experts helped our patient Hanna recover from a scary accident.

Level III trauma center at Children's Medical Center Plano: Specialized care close to home

Families in North Dallas and beyond can access world-class critical care in the recently expanded emergency room at Children’s Medical Center Plano. Our Plano hospital was the first children’s hospital in the state to receive a Level IV trauma center designation in 2018. The hospital earned a Level III Trauma Designation from the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) in 2025, a reflection of our commitment to enhancing care to meet the needs of pediatric trauma patients across our region.

The emergency room at Children’s Medical Center Plano offers a wide range of emergency services to help children overcome the full spectrum of acute injuries and illnesses. This includes:

• A pediatric emergency medicine physician on staff at all times

• Specialized intensive care services

• State-of-the art imaging

• Transport team: If your child is at the Plano ER but needs more specialized care, our Transport team can quickly move your child to our Level I trauma center in Dallas at no cost to your family via a fleet of ambulances owned and operated by Children’s Health and custom built for children and infants.

When should you take your child to the emergency room?

You should take your child to a pediatric emergency room:

• If symptoms come on suddenly and fast

• When your child experiences an extreme event such as losing consciousness, having trouble breathing or being injured in a fall or accident
  

Children’s Health emergency rooms are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Learn more about when to take your child to the emergency room.

Can a minor go to the ER without a parent?

Federal law requires children’s hospital emergency rooms to treat all children who go or are taken to the ER, whether they’re with a parent or not. For treatments that aren’t necessary right away, we will get consent from a parent or guardian. Learn more about your rights as a patient, and how to prepare for your stay in the hospital.