Methodist Children’s Hospital* opened in 1998 as the only hospital in San Antonio and South Texas designed and built especially for children. Colorful images and artwork enhance every window and wall to create a welcoming, child-focused environment that includes a two-story tree house in the lobby, play rooms on every floor and an outdoor play area. The Methodist Children’s Hospital offers a 24-hour pediatric emergency room, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, pediatric operating suites and special outpatient clinics for children with complex illnesses.

Hospital Highlights

• Methodist Children’s Hospital features the region’s only blood and marrow stem cell transplant program offering hope for children with leukemia, sickle cell anemia and immunodeficiency syndromes such as SCIDS, (severe compromised immune deficiency syndrome). In addition, Methodist Children’s Hospital has a complete unit devoted to hematology, oncology and transplants.
• The Methodist Children’s Heart Institute features a multidisciplinary team of experienced board-certified pediatric cardiologists dedicated to complex congenital cardiac and thoracic diseases, from prenatal diagnosis through adulthood. With six cardiac catheterization suites, the Methodist Children’s Heart Institute is the only hospital in South Texas providing interventional and diagnostic procedures including PDA coils, balloon septostomies, balloon dilatations and ASD device closures. Cardiothoracic specialty areas include neonatal and infant heart surgery, single ventricle and hypoplastic left heart syndrome, arrhythmia surgery, beating heart surgery, cardiac failure and mechanical support.
• Methodist Children’s Hospital provides children access to multiple doctors, therapists and case managers through its Pediatric Outpatient Clinic. Specialty clinics include: Asthma, botox/baclofen, brachial plexus, brain tumor, cardiovascular surgery, congenital anomalies, craniofacial/cleft lip and palate, cystic fibrosis, hearing assessment, hematology/oncology, long-term oncology follow‑up, neuro-developmental clinic, neurofibromatosis, neurosurgery, plagiocephaly, pre-anesthesia, retinoblastoma, spasticity and spina bifida.
• The Intensive Care Services at Methodist Children’s Hospital provide a 17-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with specially trained pediatric intensive care nurses and board‑certified pediatric intensivists on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Methodist Children’s Hospital features one of the largest Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU) in the region. When renovations are completed this year, the unit will consist of 78 beds over 19,000 square feet. Board-certified neonatologists and nurses specializing in the care of premature babies are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week to meet the special health care needs of the hospital’s tiniest patients. A neonatal team also attends high-risk deliveries at Methodist Hospital’s Women’s Pavilion.
• Newborn and Pediatric Transport Teams are available to transport critically ill or injured infants and children to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and premature infants and newborns to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Transport teams consist of highly trained professionals who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to transport patients by ambulance, helicopter or airplane.
• Methodist Children’s Hospital has seven operating suites for pediatric surgeries. Each contains special sizes of equipment for general surgery procedures. Neurosurgery and Orthopedic Operating Suites provide physicians with equipment designed especially for children.
• Children in urgent need of care arrive through our special, children’s only Emergency Room entrance for immediate attention by a registered nurse. Our emergency room is staffed with specially trained and experienced pediatric registered nurses who are also certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support. Each child receives individualized attention in a private treatment room by a board-certified physician specializing in pediatric emergency medicine.
• We offer a 17-bed surgical unit dedicated to the care of children after surgery. This unit is among the hospital’s newest additions and features a unique outer space theme with each patient room highlighting a mission into space. Nurses, physical therapists and Child Life specialists work together to encourage children to walk after surgery, play in the playroom and learn about NASA space missions during their stay.
• Each patient at Methodist Children’s Hospital is routinely evaluated for pain using the Wong-Baker Faces Scale which allows children to communicate how they are feeling by pointing to faces on a scale that range from happy to very sad. Taking this information into account, doctors and nurses are able to help patients with pain relief through medication or when possible, non-drug therapies such as heat/cold compresses, massage, rest or re-positioning.
• Behavioral Medicine Clinical Liaison—Consultation Team provides psychiatric evaluation, triage and counseling families of critically ill and chronically ill children. A behavioral medicine nurse specialist is on staff to meet the emotional needs of patients and their families. The Behavioral Medicine Psychiatric Assessment Team is available in the Emergency Room 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist the emergency room physician in evaluating behavioral health emergencies and recommending treatment options.
• Certified Child Life specialists help children understand what is happening to them so they can communicate their feelings. These dedicated pediatric experts work to create a safe and fun environment for sick children, utilizing playrooms and activities involving community arts groups. Methodist Children’s Hospital also offers its patients STARBRIGHT World, a safe, interactive playground in cyberspace where children can exchange e-mail with children in hospitals across the country.
• Kids’ Express offers pediatric outpatient services including lab work, x-rays, breathing treatments and IV medicines and fluids. For children scheduled for surgery, Kids’ Express staff offer tours to acquaint families with some of the new things they’ll see during a hospital stay. Call 575-7101 for appointments.
• Located on the fourth floor, the Methodist Children’s Family Resource Center features three computer terminals with high-speed Internet connections so parents can research their child’s illness and check e-mail. A major component of the center is an easy-to-use Website, developed to guide parents to information and Websites that may be helpful to them. The Website can be accessed by entering SAHealth.com or MethodistFamilyResources.com.
• For chronically ill children with long, frequent hospital stays, the Krystal Kids program works to create a seamless continuum from home to hospital to home again, incorporating parents, home health and other agencies involved with the child and hospital personnel. This unique program recognizes the role parents play as full-time caregivers and seeks to improve the overall quality of care provided.
• Phone 210-22-Nurse (226-8773) for Call-A-Nurse for Children from the Methodist Children’s Hospital. Hours from 5pm to 8am, Monday thru Friday and around the clock on weekends and major Holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Specially trained pediatric nurses will personally assist you with medical advice concerning your ill child. Tenemos enfermeras que hablan espanol.
• Well Waldo’s Wheels is a free bus service sponsored by Methodist Children’s Hospital. The bus will pick up children and their parents who live in certain zip code areas and transport them to the hospital or nearby doctor’s offices and back home. Call MHS-RIDE (647-7433) for more information on availability.
• A Room Above the Clouds is a suite used exclusively for end-of-life care for a terminally ill child and their family. This beautifully decorated suite allows families the opportunity to gather in a peaceful environment. The Palliative Care Team includes chaplains, pediatric social workers and other specially-trained staff members to help families through this time of intense grief.
• The Young Heroes’ Club® from the Methodist Children’s Hospital is a special program for kids 10 years old or younger. Members receive a membership card, special newsletter, growth chart, merit chart with stickers and books filled with games and puzzles.
• Find out more about the Methodist Children’s Hospital of South Texas by visiting MHSChildrens.com and take a virtual tour of the hospital.