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Children's services

Our dedicated children’s services for emergency and acute care make it easier for parents to find trusted, family-centered care.

Kids playing outside

Recognized excellence in children's health care

The Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital and Berkeley Hospital emergency departments have received pediatric-ready accreditation. This South Carolina Department of Public Health certification for emergency departments shows we have the staff, equipment, policies, and procedures in place to provide exceptional care for children.

Peds-ready-badge

Image of doctor and kid alt text

We treat a range of common health issues, including:

  • Asthma flare-ups
  • Pneumonia
  • Croup (barking cough)
  • Bronchiolitis
  • Jaundice in newborns
  • Stomach illness with dehydration
  • Skin infection
  • Fever-related seizures
  • Fever without clear causes
  • Kidney or bladder infections
  • Mild pancreatitis (inflammation)
  • Ear, nose and throat surgeries
Toddler in children's unit playroom

We are ready and able to care for children at all of our emergency room locations, but we provide specialized pediatric-ready accredited emergency care at Bon Secours St. Francis and Berkeley Hospitals. Our pediatric-ready status was issued by the South Carolina Department of Public Health and was earned by making sure our emergency rooms are equipped to handle children’s emergencies. We provide specialized equipment, specially trained staff and care policies and put children’s care procedures in place that meet nationally recognized standards.

Children's unit playroom

Your child will have access to MUSC Children's Health pediatric doctors, Roper St. Francis Healthcare pediatric-trained nurses, pharmacists, child life experts and access to MUSC pediatric specialists via telehealth, with seamless transfers when needed. Your family stays at the center of care with trusted 24/7 pediatric expertise, clear communication and a team focused on helping your child heal.

Our Children’s Unit features:

  • 16 private, child-friendly rooms designed for family-centered healing
  • An onsite 24/7 pediatric specialist
  • A 1,000-square-foot playroom to support recovery and well-being  
  • Emergency, medical-surgical and inpatient services 
  • A pediatric clinical pharmacist 
  • A child life specialist to help patients and families
  • Nurses certified in PALS (pediatric advanced life support)
  • Telehealth options available

Refer a patient directly to the Children's Unit

  1. First, you’ll call us to request a direct admission to the Children’s Unit at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital. Please be ready to provide patient information during the call. 
  2. The Bed Hub will contact the Children’s Hospitalist for review.
  3. Once accepted, the hospitalist will notify the Bed Hub and coordinate your patient’s arrival. 
  4. Patients are brought directly to the 4th Floor Children’s Unit.

Children's Unit direct admission (843) 724-2212

Children's unit nurses

Child with asthma gives thumbs up

Refer to a peds-ready ER

If you are a health professional looking to refer a patient to our Children’s Unit or one of our pediatric emergency rooms, please give us a call.