Pediatric Trauma & Injury Prevention | Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health   

Pediatric Trauma & Injury Prevention

Specialized trauma care, prevention education, and ongoing support to keep children safe.

When your child faces a traumatic injury, every second counts. Knowing where to turn for care can be the most important decision you make. At Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health, our pediatric trauma centers can help your family navigate emergencies with the highest level of expertise, compassion, and support.

What is a Pediatric Trauma Center?

A pediatric trauma center is a specialized facility equipped to provide comprehensive care for children who experience severe injuries. These centers go beyond standard emergency care by offering:

  • Expert pediatric trauma teams available to immediately respond to an injured child 24/7, including pediatric trauma surgeons, and every pediatric specialist including pediatric neurosurgeons, pediatric orthopedists, and pediatric critical care specialists, and many more.
  • Advanced diagnostic and treatments designed specifically for children.
  • Support for the whole family to ease the stress and uncertainty of a traumatic event.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center is New Jersey’s first and only ACS verified Level I pediatric trauma center, the highest verification by the American College of Surgeons. This recognition represents the highest standard of total care for any injury, ensuring your child has access to immediate expertise and resources they need during life’s most challenging moments and after.

In addition to this, Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center is a Level II pediatric trauma center, and the only pediatric trauma center in Bergen County.

Verified Trauma Center Logo with Surgical Quality Partner & Trauma Diamond Labels

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When to Visit a Pediatric Trauma Center

While it’s crucial to get to the nearest emergency department in some urgent situations, choosing a pediatric trauma center, whenever possible, can make a major difference in your child’s care and recovery. Pediatric trauma centers – such as those at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health – are specifically designed to treat children. This means access to pediatric specialists, child-specific equipment, and a family-centered environment that community hospitals may not offer.

Pediatric trauma centers provide:

  • Access to highly trained pediatric specialists for pediatric surgery, pediatric critical care and pediatric rehabilitation.
  • Child-centered resources that cater to the unique physical and emotional needs of young patients.
  • Faster diagnosis and treatment, which can prevent complications and improve outcomes.

Going to a pediatric trauma center ensures that your child’s care is tailored to their unique needs, giving them the best chance at a full recovery.

What’s it Like to be Treated at a Pediatric Trauma Center?

The pediatric trauma centers at Hackensack Meridian Children's Health provide robust, specialized care for children with traumatic injuries. Our level I and level II pediatric trauma centers are equipped with:

  • 24-hour coverage by a board-certified trauma team and specialists in pediatric emergency medicine, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology and radiology
  • Access to critical imaging with 24-hour CT, MRI and X-ray capabilities
  • A helipad for fast transport of critically injured children
  • Dedicated operating rooms staffed around the clock to handle urgent surgical needs
  • More than 200 pediatric subspecialists available for immediate consultation and treatment
  • Specialized ultrasound equipment for pinpointing critical injuries

A Comprehensive Approach to Pediatric Trauma Care

At Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health, we offer a seamless continuum of emergency medicine, supporting families before, during and after traumatic incidents.

Preventing injuries before they happen is an essential part of our mission. Through outreach programs and community partnerships, we help families stay safe by providing:

  • Bicycle helmet and safety tips
  • Car seat inspections and installations
  • Education on topics like water safety, bike/pedestrian safety, falls prevention, and safe sleep practices
  • Car safety and teen driving
  • Stop the Bleed
  • Sports safety

When an injury does occur, our team is ready to deliver life-saving care. Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health offers advanced capabilities, including:

  • Pediatric-focused emergency services
  • Specialized trauma surgeons and critical care teams
  • State-of-the-art technology to diagnose and treat even the most complex injuries

We understand that a hospital stay can be challenging for families, which is why we provide amenities to make your time here as comfortable as possible. Each patient room includes a pull-out bed so parents can stay overnight with their child. Families also have access to a shower and laundry room, ensuring they have the essentials they need while supporting their child’s recovery.

Our child life specialists play a vital role in pediatric trauma care, offering emotional and psychological support from the moment a child enters the trauma bay through surgery, hospitalization and beyond. They help children cope with their experience through therapeutic play, education and emotional support – whether at the bedside, in the playroom or during medical procedures.

Recovery doesn’t end when your child leaves the hospital. We’re here to support your family through the healing process with resources like physical therapy, counseling and follow-up care.

Our pediatric social workers – including trauma-specialized social workers at some locations – offer Trauma Support Groups to help families process their experience and connect with others who have been through similar situations. Each year, we also honor survivors and their journeys at Trauma Survivors Day, celebrating their resilience and strength.

K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center
1945 Route 33, Neptune, NJ 07753
732-776-4949
Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center
30 Prospect Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601
551-996-2609

Why Choose Our Pediatric Trauma Centers?

Your child deserves access to the leading pediatric trauma specialists in the state. Choosing Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health for pediatric emergency medicine means you get:

K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital is part of Jersey Shore University Medical Center which is the first and only pediatric level I trauma center in the state, verified by the American College of Surgeons. In addition, Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center is the only Pediatric Level II Trauma Center in Bergen County. These distinctions signify the highest level of expertise and resources for treating pediatric injuries.
When a patient receives care at a pediatric trauma center, all the subspecialists that are needed are under one roof, so there's no delay in care. Treatment is tailored to children, accounting for their growing bodies, emotional development and family involvement. This specialization improves outcomes by ensuring that treatment is as effective and child-friendly as possible.
Through community outreach and injury prevention programs, we’re committed to keeping children safe and empowering families with knowledge to prevent future injuries.
As leaders in pediatric trauma innovation, we continuously study and improve treatments, ensuring better outcomes and faster recoveries. By collaborating with top pediatric centers nationwide, we bring the latest breakthroughs in trauma care directly to our patients, giving your child the best chance at a full recovery.
Every provider in our trauma bay is ATLS-certified, meaning they have the highest level of training in rapid assessment, life-saving intervention and trauma patient management. Unlike many hospitals, we offer ATLS courses on-site, ensuring our teams are always up-to-date on the latest trauma care protocols. Our trauma physicians don’t just take the course – they teach and credential others, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in emergency care when every second counts.
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