Concern: Professor Mike Sharland has revealed children with minor coughs and colds are being taken straight to A&E units by their parents . Children with minor coughs and colds are being taken straight to accident and emergency units by their parents, a senior government advisor has revealed. Professor Mike Sharland, a consultant at St George’s Hospital in south west London, said most of the children who attend the paediatric A&E unit there have not seen their GP first. He said: ‘That has tipped over into a marked increase in admissions of children with minor infections who are discharged the next day.’ The professor, who advises the Department of Health on antibiotic use, also said that some families ‘bounce’ from hospital to hospital, taking their child to a different A&E every few days. This is because they expect a cold to clear up quickly, when in fact it can take two to three weeks. And, in any case, antibiotics kill bacteria and not the viruses behind colds. Speaking at a London conference on the growing threat of resistance to antibiotics, Professor Sharland said more needs to be done to teach parents about when antibiotics are needed. He told the meeting at the Royal Society: ‘Ninety five per cent of those attending our children’s A&E have no other relation with any other healthcare provider. ‘So they are just pitching up to A&E always around seven or eight o’clock because the child has a fever and sticky eyes and a cough. One of the things we are very aware of is that there is a lot more educating yet to do.’ Other experts said that difficulties in seeing a GP – or even speaking to one on the phone – mean that worried parents see A&E as the best option. Clifford Mann, president of the College . of Emergency Medicine, said that around a third of the children taken to . casualty have coughs and colds or minor injuries such as cuts and . sprains that could be treated elsewhere. 'Bouncing' around: Professor Sharland, a consultant at St George's Hospital in south west London, said that some families 'bounce' from hospital to  hospital, taking their child to a different A&E every few days (file image) He said: ‘It is not uncommon these days for people to go to emergency departments with children who have upper respiratory tract infections – a cough or a cold or an earache. ‘And the vast majority of these cases require nothing more than keeping them warm and giving them fluids and some Calpol.’ He said that rather than wait an hour or two for their family doctor to call them back, parents head for the hospital. Markus Hesseling, a consultant paediatrician in North Wales, and a spokesman for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), said: ‘It can be difficult to get a GP appointment at the appropriate time. Treatment: Clifford Mann, the president of the College of Emergency Medicine, said that around a third of the children taken to casualty have coughs and colds or minor injuries that could be treated elsewhere (file image) ‘There is also a wider society reason. Children have become more precious and people move away from their families. You used to have a big family and the granny would say the child would be OK but now people don’t know what to do any more. ‘They might have to wait but A&E is the only place where they can get sorted.’ Stephanie Smith, a RCPCH member and consultant emergency paediatrician in Nottingham, said that some parents struggle to get past their GP’s receptionist and so turn to A&E. She said: ‘We know it can be difficult to get a GP appointment unless you convey the right information, so parents choose a place where the door is open and they can take their child.’ Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer, said that ensuring doctors and the public know when antibiotics should be used is a ‘perpetual problem’.
Professor Mike Sharland said children with colds are being taken to A&E .
Youngsters with coughs and other minor ailments are also attending units .
And some families 'bounce' around different hospitals seeking treatment .
The professor said parents need to be taught when antibiotics are needed .
Concern: Professor Mike Sharland has revealed children with minor coughs and colds are being taken straight to A&E units by their parents . Children with minor coughs and colds are being taken straight to accident and emergency units by their parents, a senior government advisor has revealed. Professor Mike Sharland, a consultant at St George’s Hospital in south west London, said most of the children who attend the paediatric A&E unit there have not seen their GP first. He said: ‘That has tipped over into a marked increase in admissions of children with minor infections who are discharged the next day.’ The professor, who advises the Department of Health on antibiotic use, also said that some families ‘bounce’ from hospital to hospital, taking their child to a different A&E every few days. This is because they expect a cold to clear up quickly, when in fact it can take two to three weeks. And, in any case, antibiotics kill bacteria and not the viruses behind colds. Speaking at a London conference on the growing threat of resistance to antibiotics, Professor Sharland said more needs to be done to teach parents about when antibiotics are needed. He told the meeting at the Royal Society: ‘Ninety five per cent of those attending our children’s A&E have no other relation with any other healthcare provider. ‘So they are just pitching up to A&E always around seven or eight o’clock because the child has a fever and sticky eyes and a cough. One of the things we are very aware of is that there is a lot more educating yet to do.’ Other experts said that difficulties in seeing a GP – or even speaking to one on the phone – mean that worried parents see A&E as the best option. Clifford Mann, president of the College . of Emergency Medicine, said that around a third of the children taken to . casualty have coughs and colds or minor injuries such as cuts and . sprains that could be treated elsewhere. 'Bouncing' around: Professor Sharland, a consultant at St George's Hospital in south west London, said that some families 'bounce' from hospital to  hospital, taking their child to a different A&E every few days (file image) He said: ‘It is not uncommon these days for people to go to emergency departments with children who have upper respiratory tract infections – a cough or a cold or an earache. ‘And the vast majority of these cases require nothing more than keeping them warm and giving them fluids and some Calpol.’ He said that rather than wait an hour or two for their family doctor to call them back, parents head for the hospital. Markus Hesseling, a consultant paediatrician in North Wales, and a spokesman for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), said: ‘It can be difficult to get a GP appointment at the appropriate time. Treatment: Clifford Mann, the president of the College of Emergency Medicine, said that around a third of the children taken to casualty have coughs and colds or minor injuries that could be treated elsewhere (file image) ‘There is also a wider society reason. Children have become more precious and people move away from their families. You used to have a big family and the granny would say the child would be OK but now people don’t know what to do any more. ‘They might have to wait but A&E is the only place where they can get sorted.’ Stephanie Smith, a RCPCH member and consultant emergency paediatrician in Nottingham, said that some parents struggle to get past their GP’s receptionist and so turn to A&E. She said: ‘We know it can be difficult to get a GP appointment unless you convey the right information, so parents choose a place where the door is open and they can take their child.’ Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer, said that ensuring doctors and the public know when antibiotics should be used is a ‘perpetual problem’.
Concern: Professor Mike Sharland has revealed children with minor coughs and colds are being taken straight to A&E units by their parents . Sharland said more needs to be done to teach parents about when antibiotics are needed. He London, said that some families 'bounce' from