The paper describes the pattern of diseases of the 17,033 emergency admissions at the children's emergency room of the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Neonates and infants constitute 60% of admissions into the children's emergency room although the facilities provided are heavily weighted in favour of older children. The study also shows a high prevalence of infectious diseases the commonest of which include measles and meningitis. The implications for hospital management of the low frequency of admissions over the weekends and high frequencies in the months of January to April in terms of staff adjustment and facilities are discussed.