Have you ever taken a child to the Accident & Emergency Dept?

Have you ever taken a child to the Accident & Emergency Dept?

by: Harriet Harris - 28-04-06 20:22

Have you ever taken a child to the accident & emergency dept? I'm doing some research in hospital play specialists in the A&E dept. Did a hospital play specialist come and visit the child? Were you offered a visit from a hospital play specialist, would you have liked a visit from one? If you did see one were they any good?
Thanks so much for all your help

by: shelley1

Yes - I have taken a child aged around 1 years to the A & E Dept, for burns. We got seen really quickly but it was just by the standard doctor who was on duty. We didn't get offered a visit by a play specialist. I didn't even think about it at the time to be honest.

As the burns were not severe, we went straight home, but I guess if a child had to stay in for longer then it would have been a great thing to have.

Have you ever taken a child to the Accident & Emergency Dept? - 03-05-06 18:31

by: Harriet Harris

Thank you for your reply Shelly.
I'm interested, did the child get upset at all during the examination or treatment of the burns?
My experience is that if a child has had a bad experience in hospital, evan for something small, it can effect them if they ever have another admission to hospital. Just out of interest if you took a child to hospital again would you ask for them to see a hospital play specialist?

Thanks for your help

Have you ever taken a child to the Accident & Emergency Dept? - 03-05-06 19:42

by: shelley1

They didn't get upset but they were quite daunted and wary of it all. I'm not sure whether I would ask for a play specialist, because I don't know what the response would be. If I knew it was common pracice, or if I got offered one, then I'd definitely say "yes"!

Have you ever taken a child to the Accident & Emergency Dept? - 13-05-06 18:48

by: Harriet Harris

The NHS report in April 2001 National Service Framework for Children, said that all children in hospital including A&E should have access to a play specialist. I think if more people asked for a play specialist the hospitals would provide more, you never know the hospital you visited might already have one have just not thought to have offered it.