Hospitalisation Rates in Children

[ClimbDad]

Mumsnet removed a thread discussing hospitalisation and risks to children following the LBC interview with the hospital matron.

The Department of Health publishes hospitalisation figures by age. Daily hospitalisation of children is currently averaging 40 to 50 admissions.

coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare?areaType=nation&areaName=England

The admissions criteria is designed to exclude children who are in hospital for other reasons and catch Covid-19.

I don’t know what we consider an acceptable level of risk. We haven’t had that conversation as a country, but I feel sorry for the hundreds of families living through this horrific experience every week.

Admitted with covid, compared to admitted because of covid are two very different things. Children are tested when they're admitted, it'll find asymptomatic cases.

To try to put this into perspective , l worked as a Paeds Nurse for the NHS on a local 27 bedded Childrens ward for 38 yrs. We regularly admitted over 20 children aged between 0 to 18 in a 24 hr period, it was our normal . This is for just one general little market town childrens ward, not a huge population , not a city just our small catchment area . As for these admissions being for Covid , l can't see any actual proof that it was for Covid in the twitter . This time of the year , the admissions for Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) & Asthma are extremely high both could be mistaken for Covid until tested. They have similar symptoms , cough, rapid breathing & tight chest.

Thresholds for admission of a child are lower than other age groups (bar much older). As a PP has said, this time of year you expect a lot of respiratory admissions. We have a new and virulent virus circulating this year so - more admissions. It doesn't mean this new variant is more deadly for children but this is a serious illness that we have always known CAN affect children, albeit at a lesser rate and lesser strength than with adults.

I don't get it, are you all just desperate to be as worried as possible??

We have been constantly reassured that it is mild in children so let's hope that is true. I wonder if children who are admitted can have a parent with them? It would worry me if they can't. I was in hospital as a 2 year old with bronchitis in the days when parents were told not to visit. My father wouldn't be told and my earliest memory is of being in the ambulance and then standing in a cot crying when I could see my dad through a glass window. In those days they thought it was bad that he was "upsetting" me, now we know it is damaging for a child not to have a parent with them.

I know visiting is restricted in hospitals but I hope that isn't the case for children with covid or anything else.

Does anyone really, actually believe that the death of a 90 year old is as tragic as the death of a 9 year old?
This**
Honestly what. How can people think this is even comparable?! Of course its worse if children die thank someone in their 90s. Children have their whole lives ahead of them. It must be people who don't have children who say absolute bull shit like that.

Death is horrific if the patient is 9 or 90.

Is it? Life expectancy in the UK averages 81.

People being human ie mortal may be horrific to some, but you'd do better complaining to God about that, not winding up the frailer minds of MN.

Why are threads about the news being deleted? We are allowed to discuss newsworthy events, aren’t we?

It doesn't mean this new variant is more deadly for children but this is a serious illness that we have always known CAN affect children, albeit at a lesser rate and lesser strength than with adults.

We don't know that last part anymore. In fact we can say that the data doesn't support at least some of that in the way it did.

We need to adapt at pace with this mutation, no matter how inconvenient.

I suspect threads have been pulled because they are scare mongering. They are taking 2, adding 2 and making 5.

Not That many people took this pandemic seriously. I work with the public, see it everyday. The elderly have never really mattered that much to people

Let’s see if people sit up and take notice now. If it’s true of course.

Just to add God Bless my dad who knew better than the experts even if he did leave school at 14.

I wonder if children who are admitted can have a parent with them? It would worry me if they can't. I was in hospital as a 2 year old with bronchitis in the days when parents were told not to visit.

I know earlier in the year there was a lot
Of talk of parents not being allowed to be with children but I know Dr Ranj put out a video to reassure parents this wasn't the case and to try not to worry, children would of course be allowed a parent/guardian to be with them.

@ancientgran all children can have 1 carer stay with them.

@covetingthepreciousthings thank you for that. I've done my share of sitting by a child's hospital bed and I know how important it is.

@Pomegranatespompom thank you as well.

@tilder

I suspect threads have been pulled because they are scare mongering. They are taking 2, adding 2 and making 5.

Agreed.

It’s just a bit unfortunate that some posters are getting even more anxious because of the threads being pulled and seem to think this a sign of a wider conspiracy.

[quote KeysDontBelongInTheFridge]@SatishTheCat When was it on LBC? Will have a listen (as long as it wasn’t with Nick Ferrari!)[/quote]
Oh sorry it was Radio 5 Live, my mistake:

twitter.com/bbc5live/status/1345006866829463552?s=21

The matron interviewed is likely to be telling the truth but there isn’t any context and without that, it sounds really alarming for any parent. That’s why I found myself looking at PHE data to try to understand what was going on.

Isn't there a site about myth busting? Would they have details. I will have a google and see if I can find it, I'm sure I've seen it somewhere.

It’s probably better to let the threads stay so people can judge the data for themselves. There‘a basically nothing conclusive at the minute.

@yeOldeTrout I was asking, not saying. Because it was in a post in another thread (the one you mention itself)
Someone then clarified that was the total.
With all this deleting, all gets lost!

Found lots of myth busting but couldn't see anything helpful. Someone better at searching might find something.

Mrs made it was a verbal speech on a radio show and she said children with her covid.

Does it matter if its just covid or not, my dd gets breathing issues, would having covid on top not impact that?

What would happen to this lady if she's lying?.. That's a pretty big lie.. Pulling her and hospitals into disrepute and the profession?

It’s probably better to let the threads stay so people can judge the data for themselves.

Not if they break talk guidelines it isn’t.

There are a number of threads that are still up.

@Satsumatrifle

It doesn't mean this new variant is more deadly for children but this is a serious illness that we have always known CAN affect children, albeit at a lesser rate and lesser strength than with adults.

We don't know that last part anymore. In fact we can say that the data doesn't support at least some of that in the way it did.

We need to adapt at pace with this mutation, no matter how inconvenient.

No. This is incorrect and scaremongering.

All we know is that it has become easier for one person to pass the virus on to another person or persons.

There has been nothing to date to suggest it has become more dangerous.