[Pediatric emergencies.  An epidemiologic study of mobile care units in Innsbruck]. 
We studied the epidemiology and outcome of prehospital pediatric emergencies treated by a physician-staffed mobile intensive care unit (MICU).  A 3-year retrospective analysis for the period 1991-1993.  Children under the age of 15 years comprised 5.1% of the patients treated by the MICU (372/7423), 87.4% of whom were not in a life-threatening condition.  The most common emergencies were: trauma (30.4%), febrile seizure (27.7%), and subglottal laryngitis (12.6%).  In 44.6% of cases there was no medical indication for the MICU.  Intubation at the scene was required by 17 patients (4.6%), and 11 (3.0%) underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation following prehospital cardiac arrest; two children were successfully resuscitated but died in hospital.  A total of 217 (61.3%) were admitted to the ward, 9 of these to a critical care unit.  The average length of stay was 4.9 days, and 94.5% of patients were discharged in good health.  Prehospital pediatric emergencies are rare and seldom life-threatening.  Continuing education in pediatric emergency care is important for emergency physicians.