What to Expect at Your First Trauma Clinic Appointment

Follow-up care for traumatic injuries is just as important as the care your child initially receives for their injuries. Our providers in the Cincinnati Children's Trauma Clinic offer the most comprehensive assessment of their recovery and recommendations for next steps. Whether it's neck injuries, lacerations or other traumatic wounds, chest and abdominal injuries or emotional needs, our knowledgeable, friendly, compassionate providers can address your child's needs.

As your child continues through their trauma care, we understand you may have questions. This page can give you the information you need about what you can expect during your child's first Trauma Clinic appointment.

Making an Appointment

You may be directed to call the clinic to schedule an appointment by the emergency department, your pediatrician, another hospital and an inpatient trauma nurse practitioner.

One of our outpatient trauma clinic nurses will determine if your child should be seen in our clinical or if they would be best treated in another department.

On the Day of Your Visit

Because your child has already been treated for their initial injury, you may be familiar with the hospital and parts of the recovery process. However, please don't hesitate to ask us any questions. We can walk you through the services your child will receive and can connect you with social workers or Child Life specialists if needed. If your child is still experiencing stress related to their injury or accident, we can offer referrals for counseling services.

Overall, we want you and your child to feel comfortable during your visit. To make the experience more enjoyable, we've placed “I Spy” pictures around the clinic.

Arriving at the Clinic

On the day of your appointment, bring your insurance card with you. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment for registration. You will need to allow an additional 15 minutes for parking and walking to our clinic. When you arrive, please go directly to the clinic.

If you're running late, please contact us.

At Your Appointment

Your child's first appointment will focus on follow-up care from the emergency department visit or inpatient trauma discharge. During the visit, our providers will evaluate their needs and determine the next steps for treatment. Your child's care team will include:

• Nurse
• Trauma nurse practitioner

The appointment will last between 30 to 60 minutes. You can expect your appointment to include:

• Comprehensive medical history
• Physical exam
• Evaluation of injuries and any complications
• Diagnostic tests, including X-rays or other imaging if needed

Based on their assessment from the physical exam, our providers may make referrals to other specialists, such as the Brain Health and Wellness Clinic, orthopedics, wound care, and counseling.

At the end of your appointment, you will receive an after-visit summary that will include personalized instructions.

After the Appointment

After your appointment, we will also send the after-visit summary to your child's pediatrician or other referring physician.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact us.

Please reach out with any questions — we're here to help!