Kids Health Matters episodes 9 and 10: Visiting the Emergency Department

An unexpected health emergency for a baby, child or young person can be traumatic, especially if it involves a trip to the emergency department (ED).

While we hope you will never have to visit the Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) ED, in the event you do, it can help to know what to expect when you arrive.

In this special two-part episode of Kids Health Matters we join Paediatric Emergency Specialist and General Paediatrician Dr Paul Sander to take you behind the scenes at our busy ED.

With the help of hosts broadcaster Dani Shuey and PCH Respiratory Consultant Dr Adelaide Withers, Dr Paul will offer insights from his more than 15 years in emergency care to help you prepare for any unplanned ED visit, with useful tips on:

• what you should bring
• who you are likely to see
• assessments your child might be given and
• supporting your child through the visit.

Dr Paul will also take you through some of the most common reasons for children being brought into ED, the age range of children treated at PCH and the best sources for accessing reliable health information.

Part two of the podcast will arm you with knowledge to help you manage common illnesses.

We also put Dr Paul to the test on common ED concerns, with a series of rapid-fire questions such as:

• when is a rash of concern
• why is it important to know the duration of a fever and
• at what point should we worry about our child’s temperature?

Dr Paul also shares with us what he loves about working in PCH’s ED, which last year treated around 70,000 babies, children and young people.

“We have a privileged job because we see families at their most vulnerable," he says.

“If we can help them feel a bit better, a bit less sore and help them on their journey home or wherever else they are heading to in the hospital…then that’s a great day at work.”

Kids Health Matters provides trusted advice on common child health concerns from leading Western Australian child health experts.

The podcast is proudly produced by the Child and Adolescent Health Service which includes Neonatology, Child and Adolescent Community Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and PCH.

Visit the Kids Health Matters homepage for more information about the podcast series including full transcripts and show notes for each episode.