After Hours Care

What is after-hours care?

After-hours care provides established Garland Pediatric Practice patients with guidance for non-urgent medical concerns that arise outside normal office hours.

If you have a non-emergency concern about your child, call 972-216-8500. After-hours calls are answered by Dr. Bodavula, who can listen to your concerns and provide guidance about what to do next.

This number is intended for established patients with non-urgent medical issues only. For routine, non-urgent concerns that don’t require an immediate response, you can also use the MyChart patient portal.

When should I use after-hours care?

After-hours care may be appropriate when you have a medical concern about your child that can’t wait until regular office hours but isn’t urgent or life-threatening.

Depending on your child’s symptoms, Dr. Bodavula can help you determine whether you can monitor your child at home, schedule an office visit, or seek care at an urgent care center.

When calling, be prepared to describe your child’s symptoms, when they started, and whether they’ve changed or worsened. It can also be helpful to have information about your child’s temperature, medications, allergies, and any steps you’ve already taken to manage their symptoms.

If your child needs prompt, in-person medical attention, Garland Pediatric Practice recommends visiting a pediatric urgent care facility, such as Children’s Health PM Pediatric Urgent Care or Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care. Children’s Medical Center Dallas or Plano may also be appropriate depending on your child’s needs.

What should I do in an emergency?

After-hours care is not a substitute for emergency medical services. If your child is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

Do not use the after-hours number, MyChart portal, or email for an emergency. Seeking immediate care ensures your child can be evaluated and treated as quickly as possible when every minute may matter.

Can I email Garland Pediatric Practice after hours?

You can email contact@garlandpediatrics.com with routine questions about business matters or office policies. The team typically responds within one business day.

Email is not appropriate for medical questions, symptoms, or urgent concerns. Medical questions sent to this address are automatically deleted. For any medical issue, contact Garland Pediatric Practice by phone or use the appropriate care option based on the urgency of your child’s needs.

For established patients with non-emergency after-hours medical concerns, call 972-216-8500. For emergencies, call 911.