Montreal pediatric hospitals tell parents to avoid overcrowded ERs if they can

Montreal’s pediatric hospitals are asking parents to debar their packed exigency rooms if their child’s “condition does not necessitate contiguous care,” citing an influx of young patients.

The CHU Sainte-Justine and the Montreal Children’s Hospital issued the announcement Friday, saying viruses and different respiratory illnesses are putting “a batch of pressure” connected their ERs.

“For children who are not earnestly sick oregon injured, different solutions tin beryllium considered, specified arsenic the 811 enactment oregon walk-in clinics,” Dr. Harley Eisman, aesculapian manager of the Montreal Children’s exigency department, said successful a statement.

At the Montreal Children’s Hospital, patients with insignificant wellness problems accounted for 50 per cent of visits to its ER successful October. For the aforesaid period, the mean occupancy complaint was 140 per cent.

The CHU Sainte-Justine reports much than 40 per cent of its ER visits past period were besides patients with insignificant issues. In the past week, that fig has accrued by 45 per cent.

In October, its exigency section occupancy roseate to 120 per cent earlier it surged to 142 per cent implicit the past week.

Both pediatric hospitals accidental nary kid successful request of aesculapian attraction volition beryllium turned away, but they accidental hold times successful their ERs for little urgent cases tin beryllium long.

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Dr. Antonio D’Angelo, aesculapian main of CHU Sainte-Justine’s exigency department, says mild flu, gastroenteritis and fever symptoms that past 3 to 5 days tin beryllium treated astatine home.

The hospitals accidental parents should bring their children to the ER successful the pursuing cases: a babe nether 3 months of property with a fever, antithetic sleepiness oregon disorder and trouble breathing. It is besides recommended to bring a kid who is vomiting oregon has diarrhea with an inability to clasp fluids oregon who shows signs of dehydration.

Injuries — including oculus injuries, burns resulting successful blistering, caput trauma with nonaccomplishment of consciousness, a chopped that requires stitches and breached bones — should besides beryllium treated successful the ER.

The hospitals accidental children who ingest poison, a cause oregon an chartless substance should beryllium taken to the exigency section aft calling the Centre antipoison du Québec astatine 1-800-463-5060.

— with files from The Canadian Press