Through Quentin Marais
Published on
–
–
–
In pediatric emergencies at Toulouse University Hospital, the atmosphere is already wintry. Bronchiolitis, gastroenteritis and other viral pathologies stormed the Toulouse area, “eight weeks earlier than usual”, deplores Isabelle Claudet, at the head of the service.
“We’re saturated, it’s overflowing”
Autumn has been here for a month. However, the situation in pediatric emergencies is rather reminiscent of much cooler months. “We are in an epidemic of bronchiolitis, from gastroenteritis and of winter viral pathology, as in eastern France. “
“It’s not unique to us, it has already started on another part of the country for 15 days, ”continues Isabelle Claudet. Who delivers figures to testify to this dynamic.
We have between 200 and 240 passages a day, and it has been increasing continuously for four weeks. Obviously, we are saturated. It’s overflowing. It’s complicated because it happens eight weeks ahead of schedule, from our winter epidemic plans where we schedule additional beds.
The head of the Children’s division concedes: “it is an unprecedented epidemic situation at the start, worrying in its volume and that’s a lot of infants, in 65% of admissions, therefore less than two years old… ”
“It’s a reflection of the fact that these children haven’t been sick for 2 years. The barrier measures have worked well, justifies Isabelle Claudet. But things rose, and the children have never been in contact with viruses who they should have been with ”.
“It will be the worst winter for 20 years”
For several weeks, the Toulouse University Hospital has been dealing with bronchiolitis … but not only. “The 35% more activity is also related to other respiratory pathologies: asthma, the laryngites, the tracheitis, the gastroenteritis, foot-hand-mouth syndrome… ”
This winter is the worst we have ever had in 20 years. As much, in 2020, we had the calmest for 20 years. There, it will be the worst. It is the same observation that we all make, with my colleagues. We are worried about this volume overrun, this influx of children …
She advises
The head of pediatric emergencies wants to send a message. “People who come to see us because their child has only had a fever for an hour should resolve to say to themselves that, maybe, it can wait until tomorrow … »
People complain about the wait they have, but they are also our own clutter. The child has been coughing for an hour, they bring him to us … Is that reasonable? No. That people are worried, I can understand that, it is legitimate. From there, to coming to the hospital … We’re not going to be able to manage all of this.
Workforce and white plan
The difficulties are many, varied, and also affect a “liberal medicine which is struggling to follow at the moment, because they are not numerous enough” regrets Isabelle Claudet. ” It is a balance that is negative.«
« There are more retirements among pediatricians and general practitioners than trained people arriving ”she continues. “No longer the pearly strike of SOS Médecin …”
In my department, I only have a graduated back-up procedure, but at some point you can’t just rely on the internal resources of the hospital. These are people who are already on duty, who have on-call duty in their specialty … Up to a point, we know how to do it, but afterwards, we won’t be able to do it with our own resources.
Activation of the white plan?
Can this chain of obstacles lead to the rapid activation of the white plan? “For the moment, it is not envisaged, answers Isabelle Claudet. Everything must be saturated. There, it is not on the agenda. »
And the head of pediatric emergencies concluded: “but that does not mean that we will not open it if necessary … These are things that discuss and decide with our management ”.
Has this article been useful to you? Note that you can follow Actu Toulouse in the Mon Actu space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.
–
