Children unaccompanied in ambulances?

[goshdarnitjanet]

There is a notice being shared on facebook (I know, I know) that if your child gets the virus and if they get so ill they require an ambulance they will be taken alone to hospital and you as a parent will be unable to accompany them. I cannot find any information to back this up. I know I don't know who any one is on here either but I am assuming this just plain incorrect? I cannot for a moment believe that the childs guardian would not be required to consent to treatment etc even in this situation and this is unnecessary scaremongering.

Yes it is heartbreaking that people are having to die alone that is absolutely not in doubt however that was not my question and that is -as far as I know - not happening with children

@Duchessofblandings not true that children are being isolated. Children are allowed one adult with them, I was in until last night with my three year old son. We were in a bay with another child with suspected covid

This is a horrible and frightening rumour and I can't imagine how it would work in practice. Having been in ambulances and on HDU and various children's wards with my son numerous times, the system depends on parents being able to deliver a great deal of care themselves. There aren't the nursing resources to cope without a parent being there.

HenSolo

@Duchessofblandings not true that children are being isolated. Children are allowed one adult with them, I was in until last night with my three year old son. We were in a bay with another child with suspected covid“

I very much hope that your son is recovering well.

What happens when a “suspected” case becomes a confirmed one? As I understood it, they are then isolated.

(Or sent home to recover if their symptoms aren’t severe, obviously)

@Duchess

You’re confusing the issue - proven positive children that need inpatient treatment are isolated from other patients. NOT from their parent/carer (unless they themselves don’t wish to stay for whatever reason)

You may have been isolated from your parents in 1965 but that is NOT happening today. Even children needing HDU/PICU can have a parent/carer (although they are not allowed to freely come and go - effectively in self isolation with their child)

There is so much fake news being bandied about that it's ridiculous.

Ignore everything you see on social media; 99.99% of it is just scaremongering and incorrect.

If it doesn't come from an official source, it isn't true. Unless it's been on the news or released from a proper news platform just disregard and carry on with your day.

We've all got a long road ahead, let's just sit tight and not lose our heads on shite that is just untrue.

@Duchessofblandings thank you, he is recovering well

As I understand it a confirmed case needing inpatient treatment would be isolated from other patients but not from their parents. That is what I was told at our hospital anyway

MsChanandlerBoing

Yes, I apologise, I see that I am.

Until what age are children considered “children” by your health authority? Teens, 18?

Legally it’s not the health authority's decision - they’re not adults until 18, so there is always someone with PR. Some hospitals admit 16/17 year olds under adult teams but it doesn’t change that they are not adults so parents/guardians need to be consulted.

(Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong!)

My local hospital trust has now banned visitors with the exception of parents to paediatric and neonatal units (and also some end of life cases). That notice doing the rounds is absolutely fake news. Maybe look on your hospital trust website and see if they have updated their visitor information. I think the ambulance service will be following the same guidelines- it might tell you on the ambulance trust website/facebook page.

100% bullshit. Saw on Facebook last night and I’m afraid it made me very cross. Out of interest a friend of mine emailed the local hospital about this and this was their response. Wish arseholes would stop posting this hysterical, scaremongering bollocks

My aunt posted this and I told her off, I’m a paeds nurse and as much as people need to stay home frightening them is NOT the way to do it. My ward has been split up and respiratory cases are isolated and triaged and cared for the same as any other child on the ward if they are covid or not. They are nursed by paediatric nurses and given appropriate entertainment and input with our play services. People who share this crap should be ashamed

MsChanandlerBoing

This is my issue. It’s no less distressing to be told you can’t comfort your very sick 16 year old than it is your 3 year old but some hospitals treat them as adults. They aren’t, they’re children but would still be kept in strict isolation.

I sat by my husband’s bedside for nearly a month when he was statistically expected to die (not related to this outbreak) I and his consultant had no idea why he didn’t, he survived, thank providence. The only thing that would have been worse would have been to be told I couldn’t be with him.

If I was told I could t be with my teenaged children in those same circumstances, I don’t know what I’d do.

Both my husband and my children are in vulnerable groups now, as are the loved ones of probably millions of people in the U.K. alone. It’s breaking my heart that so many people are still not taking this seriously. I just don’t understand why they seem to care so little.

Bull shit being shared