Walk-in care · Bolingbrook, IL
Pediatric Urgent Care in Bolingbrook, IL
Pioneer Physicians offers pediatric urgent care in Bolingbrook, IL for children from infancy through the teen years. We’re open 7 days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM. Walk in with no appointment, or save your spot online. X-ray and rapid strep, flu and COVID tests are on site. We do not give childhood vaccinations.
- Open 7 days, 8 AM to 8 PM
- Walk-ins welcome
- X-ray and rapid tests on site
- Kids and adults
- Medicare and Medicaid plans accepted
What kids urgent care can treat
Kids urgent care is for the everyday illnesses and injuries that need a same-day answer. Some families call it urgent care for kids, pediatric immediate care or a walk-in pediatric clinic. It’s the same visit here, and no appointment is needed.
We see babies, toddlers, school-age kids and teens for problems like these:
- Fever in a child older than 3 months
- Sore throat, with a rapid strep test when it’s needed
- Ear pain and possible ear infections
- Coughs, colds, and flu or COVID symptoms
- Vomiting or diarrhea with mild signs of dehydration
- Sprains, twisted ankles and possible broken bones
- Rashes, bug bites and pink eye with discharge
- Pain or burning when peeing, checked with a urinalysis
Signs of dehydration to watch for
A stomach bug usually passes, but fluid loss can add up fast in babies and toddlers. The AAP lists these signs of mild to moderate dehydration: playing less than usual, fewer wet diapers (fewer than six a day for an infant), a dry mouth, fewer tears and a sunken soft spot on a baby’s head. It advises calling your child’s doctor right away if you see them.
Sunken eyes, extreme sleepiness, cool or discolored hands and feet, or peeing only once or twice a day are signs of severe dehydration. Call your child’s doctor right away, and if your child is too weak or drowsy to drink, go to the ER or call 911.
What urgent care is not for
Urgent care is built for short-term problems. The AAP notes that urgent care centers aren’t set up for refills of long-term medicines such as ADHD medication, for ongoing management of a condition like diabetes, or for a full mental health evaluation. Those belong with your child’s regular doctor, who keeps their whole history, so let that office know about any urgent care visit. We can still see your child for a new illness, an injury or an asthma flare in the meantime.
Fever in babies and children
How your child acts matters more than the number on the thermometer. The AAP calls fevers generally harmless, a sign the body is fighting an infection, and a child who plays and interacts once they feel more comfortable is a good sign.
When a fever needs a visit today
Age sets the first rule. Under 3 months, a temperature of 100.4°F or higher means the ER. For older children, the AAP points to same-day care when a fever lasts more than 3 days without getting better, or comes with ear pain, a sore throat or a cough that keeps getting worse.
The AAP’s fever guidance also says to call your child’s doctor if the temperature rises above 104°F (40°C) again and again, if a fever lasts more than 24 hours in a child under 2, or if your child still acts sick after the fever comes down.
Fluids and medicine at home
Fluids come first. For fever or pain medicine, ask a provider or pharmacist which medicine and dose fit your child’s age and weight. Write down the time of each dose so you can tell us at the visit.
What we can help with today
- Fever
- Over 3 months old, with ear pain, a sore throat, a worsening cough, or fever past 3 days
- Breathing
- Breathing faster than usual but alert, talking and playing
- Injury
- Swelling or limping after a fall, limb looks straight
- Asthma
- Cough or wheeze not improving at home, but your child can still talk and play
- Fluids
- Still drinking, with a dry mouth or fewer wet diapers
- Skin
- Rash with a mild fever in a playful child, or pink eye with discharge
Sore throats, ear pain and coughs
Many of these get better on their own, but some need antibiotics, and an exam or a rapid test is how a provider tells them apart.
Strep throat or a virus
Strep throat tends to start fast, with a sore throat, pain when swallowing, fever and red, swollen tonsils. A cough, runny nose, hoarse voice or pink eye points more toward a virus, according to the CDC. Strep is most common in children 5 through 15 and rare in children under 3. Because the symptoms overlap, providers use a test to diagnose strep, and we run a rapid strep test during the visit when one is needed. Read more about strep throat symptoms.
Ear pain
The AAP says about 5 out of 6 children have an ear infection before their third birthday, often after a cold. Tugging at the ear doesn’t prove an infection on its own, since many babies do it to soothe themselves. Watch for ear pain that’s worse at night, trouble hearing, fever or fluid draining from the ear.
Many ear infections clear up without antibiotics. A provider may suggest waiting 48 to 72 hours first. Antibiotics are more likely for a child under 2, for a severe infection, or when symptoms are getting worse after several days.
Coughs, colds, flu and COVID
We run rapid flu and COVID tests on site. With any cough, breathing is the part to watch. The AAP puts a child who is breathing faster than usual but still alert and playing in the urgent care group. Ribs pulling in with each breath, blue or gray lips, or not being able to speak in full sentences are signs to go to the ER or call 911.
If your child has asthma, follow their asthma action plan. The AAP advises going to the ER if symptoms don’t improve within 15 to 20 minutes of using the rescue inhaler. If your child can’t breathe, call 911.
Falls, sprains and possible broken bones
Many falls and sports injuries can be checked at urgent care the same day. The AAP notes that most fractures can be cared for in an urgent care setting, and we have X-ray on site every day we are open, with splints and crutches if your child needs them.
A small break can look like a sprain at first. The AAP lists swelling that grows quickly, a child who can’t put weight on a leg or foot, and a child who refuses to use an arm or hand as signs of a possible fracture, even when the limb looks straight. A sore wrist after a fall from the monkey bars is a good reason to come in.
Call 911 or go to the ER for a bone that is visibly bent or poking through the skin, a possible neck or back injury after a fall or collision, or a head injury followed by vomiting, confusion, a seizure or passing out.
Walk in with your child, no appointment needed
We’re open 7 days a week in Bolingbrook, or you can save your spot online before you leave the house.
Tests we can run during your child’s visit
Most tests for a same-day problem happen here, during the visit:
- X-ray, every day we are open
- Rapid strep, flu and COVID tests
- Urinalysis
- EKG
- Blood drawn here and sent to an outside lab
What we don’t have
Blood work goes to an outside lab, so those results come back later. We do not have CT or MRI.
Childhood vaccines come from your child’s doctor or the county
We do not give childhood vaccinations. Keep routine shots with your child’s regular doctor, or use your county health department. The Will County Health Department gives childhood and adult vaccines to Will County residents at offices in Joliet, Monee and Bolingbrook, at 323 Quadrangle Dr. Call 815-740-8143 to schedule.
In DuPage County, the county health department offers childhood vaccines at its Wheaton, Westmont and Lombard offices through the Vaccines for Children program, for kids who are uninsured, Medicaid eligible, or whose insurance doesn’t cover vaccines. Call 630-682-7400 to check clinic times.
What to expect at your child’s visit
Walk in or save your spot online, then check in. We take vital signs such as temperature, heart rate and breathing rate, and the provider asks what you’ve noticed and when it started.
The exam fits the problem: ears and throat for a fever, lungs for a cough, the sore limb after a fall. A rapid test or an X-ray, if needed, happens during the same visit. Before you leave, you’ll hear the likely cause, the treatment plan, and the warning signs that mean you should come back or go to the ER.
Bring these if you can:
- Your child’s insurance card and your photo ID
- A list of your child’s medicines, with doses and the time of the last dose
- Allergies and past medical problems
- Your child’s regular doctor’s name and phone number
- Clear photos of a rash that has changed, since rashes can fade before you arrive
- A favorite toy, book or tablet
Helping your child stay calm
Tell your child the truth in simple words: someone will look in their ears and throat and listen to their chest. Don’t promise that nothing will hurt. Older kids and teens often do better when they can ask their own questions.
Open evenings and weekends, not 24 hours
We’re open 7 days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM, including Saturdays and Sundays, and no appointment is needed. We are not open 24 hours.
If your child gets sick after we close, you can book a next-day visit online. In the evening, the booking page shows next-day times. Many pediatric offices also have an after-hours nurse line, and the AAP suggests calling your child’s doctor’s office when you aren’t sure what to do. For an emergency, call 911.
Insurance and self-pay for kids’ visits
We accept Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Medicare and Illinois Medicaid plans, including HFS, Meridian, CountyCare, Molina and YouthCare. Coverage varies by plan, so call (630) 914-5373 to confirm your child’s specific plan before you come.
Self-pay is available if your child has no insurance or you’d rather not use it. The cost is the visit plus any tests your child needs, such as an X-ray or a rapid strep test. Call for current self-pay pricing.
Driving to our Bolingbrook clinic from nearby towns
Our clinic is at 148 S Bolingbrook Dr. Typical drive times are about 10 minutes from Romeoville, 11 from Woodridge, 14 from Lemont, Darien or Lisle, 15 from downtown Plainfield, 16 from Downers Grove, 17 from Lockport and 18 from downtown Naperville, with south Naperville closer. In a true emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest ER instead of driving to us.
The Pioneer walk-in visit
How a visit works
- Step 1Walk in or save your spot
No appointment needed. You can also save your spot online before you leave home.
- Step 2Check in
Bring a photo ID, your insurance card and a list of the medicines you take.
- Step 3See a provider
Get examined, with X-ray and rapid tests on site when you need them.
- Step 4Leave with a plan
You go home with a care plan and clear next steps.
Why families in Bolingbrook choose Pioneer
Walk-in care that fits real life
Open 7 days a week
8 AM to 8 PM, weekends included, so a Saturday sore throat does not have to wait until Monday.
X-ray and tests on site
X-ray every day we are open, plus rapid strep, flu and COVID tests, urinalysis and EKG.
Care for kids and adults
From infants through the teen years, and adults of every age, in one clinic.
Insurance and self-pay
Aetna, BCBS of Illinois, Cigna, Humana, Medicare, Illinois Medicaid plans and UnitedHealthcare. Call to confirm your plan.
Nearby towns
Each page covers the drive and local details.
Questions and answers
Questions we hear often
Still not sure? Call (630) 914-5373 and we will help you decide.
What ages do you see for pediatric urgent care?
We see children from infancy through the teen years. One exception: a baby younger than 3 months with a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher should go straight to the emergency room, as the American Academy of Pediatrics advises. Older babies, kids and teens with a fever can come to us.
Do I need an appointment for kids urgent care?
No. Walk in with your child any day of the week, weekends included. If you’d rather have a set time, save your spot online, and in the evening the booking page shows next-day times. Call (630) 914-5373 if you have a question before you come.
Is your pediatric urgent care open 24 hours or on weekends?
We’re open weekends, 7 days a week from 8 AM to 8 PM, but we are not open 24 hours. Overnight, call your child’s doctor’s office, since many have an after-hours nurse line, or book a next-day visit with us online. If your child can’t breathe, has a seizure or is very hard to wake, call 911.
Are you a pediatrician’s office?
No. We are an urgent care clinic that treats children and adults. If your child has a pediatrician or family doctor, keep vaccines and ongoing care with that office. Come to us when your child is sick or hurt and can’t wait for an appointment there, including evenings and weekends.
Can you test my child for strep, flu or COVID?
Yes. Rapid strep, flu and COVID tests are done on site during the visit. The CDC notes that strep is most common in children 5 through 15 and rare under age 3, and that a cough or runny nose points more toward a virus. Because the symptoms overlap, a test is how a provider confirms strep.
Do you give childhood vaccines or school shots?
No. We do not give childhood vaccinations. Your child’s regular doctor can give routine and school-required shots, and so can the county. The Will County Health Department (815-740-8143) and the DuPage County Health Department (630-682-7400) both run immunization clinics. Call them first to check eligibility and hours.
Do you take Medicaid for children?
Yes. We accept Illinois Medicaid plans, including HFS, Meridian, CountyCare, Molina and YouthCare. Coverage details vary by plan, so call (630) 914-5373 to confirm your child’s specific plan before you come. If your child has no coverage, self-pay is available; call for current self-pay pricing.
Can my child get a sports or school physical here?
Yes. We do sports and school physicals, and you can walk in or save a spot online. Bring any form the school or team gave you, plus your child’s immunization record. Since we don’t give vaccines, any shots the school requires come from your child’s doctor or the county health department.
Sources for this page
- Urgent Care, ER or Pediatrician? A Parent Guide. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org).
- Fever: When to Call the Pediatrician. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org).
- When Your Child Needs Emergency Medical Services. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org).
- Signs of Dehydration in Infants and Children. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org).
- Ear Infections: Answers to Parents’ Top Questions. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org).
- Strep Throat: All You Need to Know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Immunizations. Will County Health Department.
- Immunizations. DuPage County Health Department.