LHSC Children's Hospital

Best Times to Visit

About Children's Hospital London

The Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre operates a dedicated pediatric emergency department at 800 Commissioners Road East in London, Ontario, providing 24/7 emergency care exclusively for patients from birth through age 18. As a regional referral centre for Southwestern Ontario, it offers specialized pediatric services including trauma care, oncology, intensive care, and a Level III NICU, serving a population of over 400,000 children across the region. Parents and caregivers should bring children here for serious or life-threatening illness and injury, knowing the department is staffed by specialists in pediatric emergency medicine.

Services & Specialties

Dedicated pediatric emergency department (ages 0–18), Pediatric critical care (12-bed PICU), Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) — 43 beds, Pediatric trauma care, Pediatric oncology, Liver and bowel transplant program, Infectious disease programs, Inpatient pediatric care (58 beds), Regional referral services for Southwestern Ontario, Teaching and academic medicine programs.

Amenities

• On-site Resource Centre with patient and family health information
• Rooming-in available for parents and caregivers of admitted children
• Parkedin App for contactless parking payment
• HPASS discounted multi-day parking card
• Accessible and barrier-free parking and entrances
• Patient and family visitor information available at lhsc.on.ca

Other Care Options

Not every health issue needs an ER visit. Find out where to go for care → · 26 walk-in clinics in London →

Pharmacists in Ontario can assess and prescribe for dozens of common conditions. See what they can treat →

Compare hospital wait times across Canada. View all wait times →

Tips Before You Go

• This is a pediatric-only emergency department — it serves patients from birth to age 18 exclusively, separate from the adult Victoria Hospital ER on the same campus.
• The Children's ED was recently expanded by 50%, so expect updated and improved facilities compared to older visits.
• Use the Parkedin App before you leave home to streamline parking payment on arrival — garages operate 24/7.
• If your child requires a follow-up specialist after the ER visit, ask staff about LHSC's outpatient pediatric clinics, which serve the full Southwestern Ontario region.
• Parents and caregivers are welcome to room-in with admitted children — bring personal items for yourself if there is any chance your child may be admitted overnight.

What to Bring

• Ontario Health Card (OHIP card) for your child
• Your child's immunization records if relevant to the illness
• List of all current medications, doses, and allergies
• Any relevant medical history documents or specialist letters
• Comfort items for your child (favourite toy, blanket, or book)
• Snacks and drinks for yourself during the wait
• Phone charger or portable battery pack
• Change of clothes for your child in case of admission

Parking

LHSC's Victoria Hospital and Children's Hospital campus offers 24/7 parking in multi-level garages and surface lots, with over 7,000 spots across LHSC campuses. Pay at the gate by tapping a debit or credit card, or use the Parkedin App (available on Apple and Google). Frequent visitors can purchase an HPASS preloaded card for discounted rates and in-and-out privileges within a 24-hour period. Longer-term parking passes valid for one year are also available. Accessible and barrier-free parking spaces are marked on-site throughout the campus.

Getting There

London Transit Commission (LTC) bus routes serve the Victoria Hospital and Children's Hospital campus directly, with bus stops located on hospital grounds. The site is accessible from Wellington Road and Commissioners Road East. Check the LTC website for current route numbers and schedules.

Frequently Asked Questions

About ER Wait Times

Emergency departments use triage. Patients with more serious conditions are seen first, regardless of arrival time.

Wait times are estimates based on Ontario health data. Actual wait times may vary.

We check our own accuracy. Forecasting two hours ahead, the ERstat estimate was typically off by 33 minutes against what hospitals themselves later posted, compared with 41 minutes for the hospital's own current figure, and was the closer of the two 58% of the time. See the full scorecard, or how we work the number out.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.