Atrium Health opens new emergency room for children in Huntersville

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital opened a pediatric emergency room in Huntersville on Thursday.

The emergency room off Statesville Road will now be able to serve more families in the Lake Norman area.

Mike Lapierre knows how critical it is to get good care for his 1-year-old daughter, Scarlett.

"Two weeks into her life, she developed a blood clot," Lapierre said. "Posed a severe risk to her life. Doctors came up with a solution that had only been done a few times around the world...They performed it on Scarlett, and the blood clot resolved. One of the few miracles to happen in her life."

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Atrium Health's ER isn't new. However, there is now a new space designated for Levine Children's Hospital.

The walls feature kid art, all the equipment caters to children and children in medical emergencies can now receive care from pediatric doctors.

Yalonda Herndon, with Atrium Health, said the ER can handle anything a regular ER would. Doctors can see children with asthma attacks, broken bones, fevers, dehydration, flu, poisoning, swallowed objects, sprains, strains and more.

The emergency room works directly with doctors at the main Trauma One center in Charlotte.

It's not attached to a full service hospital, but Atrium Health is working to build one nearby.

Cox Media Group