Parents and carers reminded: routine healthcare is still available for children

12 April 2020

Parents and carers are being reminded that healthcare for children is still available as usual, even while the Stay Home measures are in place and the Hospital is managing COVID-19 cases.

Consultant Paediatrician Dr Tim Malpas said: “Many parents want to do the right thing and stay at home unless absolutely necessary, and that may be why the last two weeks have been noticeably quieter in terms of the number of children we have seen at hospital for standard childhood illnesses.

“Children can still become seriously unwell with illnesses other than COVID-19, and parents’ concerns about the virus should not stop them from contacting medical services. GPs and hospital services are still here as normal and It’s still important for parents and carers to respond quickly if your child becomes very unwell, as early treatment is much more effective than if you were to leave symptoms for longer."

If parents are unsure, they should contact their GP for advice. If their child is severely unwell, they should call 999 or go to the Emergency Department at the Hospital.

Guidance
You should call your GP if your child:

has a mild or moderate allergic reaction
a new rash that fades when you press it
tummy pain that comes and goes
has vomiting and diarrhoea
has wheezing and fast breathing
has a temperature over 39 degrees (If aged between 3 and 12 months)
has ear pain for more than two days

Call 999 immediately if a child:

is pale, mottled, ashen or blue in colour
has collapsed or is unconscious
has a severe allergic reaction
is extremely irritable, sleepy, in pain
is having a seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes
is having severe difficulty breathing
if bleeding from an injury does not stop after 10 minutes of pressure

Go to the Emergency Department immediately if a child:

is dizzy or feeling faint
has a rash that doesn’t fade when you press it
has severe and constant tummy pain
has been burned
has a possible broken bone
has swallowed something they shouldn’t (foreign body or medication)
has a high temperature
feels abnormally cold to touch
is expressing suicidal thoughts