For all life-threatening emergencies

Dial 911 right away!

Children have unique medical needs and when accidents and sudden illnesses hit, Denver Health is here to help your children—we are fully staffed, equipped and ready to help children of any age—from newborns to teenagers, 24 hours a day. 

The DECC includes the following:

• Urgent care for kids when sickness hits after hours;
• Specially trained pediatric emergency doctors and nurses;
• Child-friendly rooms and waiting areas;
• Private rooms offer private space for children and their families and reduce the chance of spreading infections;
• TVs in all patient rooms; and
• An ambulance bay to quickly transfer patients.

DECC Staff

Staff includes Emergency Medicine physicians specializing in pediatric emergency, trauma and urgent care; nurses with special training in pediatrics; and pediatric nurse practitioners who work together to ensure fast-tracking patients so there is little or no wait time for children to be seen.

Katie Bakes, M.D., Director, Denver Emergency Center for Children, obtained her medical degree at Harvard Medical School in 1997, completed a residency in Emergency Medicine at Harbor UCLA in 2000, a fellowship in Emergency Ultrasound at Harbor UCLA in 2001, and a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the Children’s Hospital, Denver in 2007

Valeri Leswing, D.O., Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician,obtained her medical degree at Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in 2000. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at Baylor University’s Texas Children’s Hospital. She worked for several years as a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician for the University of Texas Health Science Center of Houston at which time she also worked toward a Master’s degree in Clinical Research. She then completed her subspecialty training in Pediatric Emergency Medicine through the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Children’s Hospital. 

Dr. Leswing has clinical and research interests in the fields of pediatric trauma and disaster management.

John W. Ogle, M.D., Director, Pediatric Services at Denver Health, obtained his medical degree at Washington University in St. Louis in 1977, finished his pediatric residency at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Dallas, in 1980, and completed his pediatric infectious disease fellowship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1986. 

Dr. Ogle joined Denver Health as the Director of Pediatrics in November 1992. Dr. Ogle directs the Pediatric Inpatient Service at Denver Health as well as the administration of the Pediatric Department. He is a frequent inpatient attending and directs the education of housestaff and students. He is available for pediatric infectious disease consultation and serves as the pediatric consultant for the Denver Health Tuberculosis Clinic. 

Guy Upshaw, M.D., Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, obtained his Medical Doctorate at Harvard. He did a pediatric residency at The Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, and completed a fellowship training in Emergency Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital, Denver. He then worked 13 years at Denver Children’s Hospital Emergency Department where he gained a breadth of experience and knowledge in caring for pediatric patients with acute illness and injury.

Dr. Upshaw looks forward to working at the new Denver Health Pediatrics ED, again serving Denver children.

Jane Bronwyn Bateman, M.D., Pediatric Ophthalmologist, obtained her medical degree at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1974. She completed an internship in Internal Medicine UCLA Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, California in 1975. Dr. Bateman did her residency in Ophthalmology at Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, California in 1978. She then completed three fellowships, in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Jules Stein Institute in 1978; in Ophthalmic Genetics at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore in 1980 and Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at National Children’s Medical Center, Washington, D.C in 1979.

Claudia Kunrath, M.D., Pediatric Intensivist,obtained her medical degree at Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de PortoAlegre, in Brazil, in 1995, where she also completed her residency in Pediatrics and fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care in 2001. She then moved to the United States where she completed her residency in Pediatrics at the State University of New York-Buffalo in 2005. She also completed a fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and The Children’s Hospital July 2008.

Dr. Kunrath participates in clinical research and enjoys being a preceptor for medical students and residents.

Ken R. Winston, M.D., Pediatric Neurosurgeon, obtained his medical degree at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis in 1963. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine at John Gaston Hospital in Memphis in 1964. Dr. Winston did his residency in General Surgery at the University of Colorado Medical Center, in 1967, and then completed a second residency in Neurosurgery in 1969.

Dr. Winston currently holds two academic positions at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine Sciences Center as Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, and Professor of Surgery and Neurosurgery.