North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Feverish, rashy kids sent to ED
Fever is the most likely cause for a child’s emergency department visit on the North Shore and in West Auckland.
In the year to June 30, the Waitemata¯ District Health Board recorded 19,678 children under the age of 15 turning up in emergency rooms at North Shore Hospital and Waitakere Hospital.
Feverish children made up 2462 of that number, while 1892 presented with vomiting.
Rashes and coughs were among the top ten causes for visits, as was shortness of breath which saw 942 children take a trip to the hospital.
Another 680 kids visited with breathing difficulties and head injuries were at fault in 612 cases.
Over the 12 month period, 2511 children were admitted to general hospital beds - about 13 per cent of the children who went to the emergency department.
Of those who were admitted to a bed, 61 per cent were discharged within 48 hours, with the average length of stay 28 hours.
The remaining 39 per cent stayed for an average of 92 hours.
In the specialised paediatric short stay Rangatira Children’s Ward at Waitakere Hospital, 846 kids were admitted over the year.
The vast majority of kids - 831 - were released within two days, while 15 children remained in the ward longer, for an average 61 hours.
June saw the highest amount of visits for kids to the emergency room, with 2016 over the month, leading to 255 hospital admissions.
Of the 124,824 emergency department visits over the year, children represented 16 per cent of the patients.
TOP 10 PAEDIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS
1. Febrile - 2462
2. Vomiting - 1892
3. Unknown - 1309
4. Rashes - 1038
5. Shortness of breath - 942
6. Cough - 878
7. Unwell child - 813
8. Abdominal pain - 713
9. Breathing difficulties - 680
10. Head injury - 612