Isolated behind hinged doors, six single rooms for children accompanied by a single parent. The quarantine protocol is strict. Here is one of the two Covid-19 units for children at the Timone hospital in Marseille, managed by the pediatric neurologist Brigitte Chabrol. Although fewer in number than adults, more children are infected with the virus with the Omicron variant, and sometimes they may need to be hospitalized. The Marseille city hospital reserves pediatric units for them, and this shakes up its entire functioning.
“What is complicated is the anguish of the parents”
Each pediatric unit in the hospital receives a specific type of patient. “If a child presents to the emergency room because he has a Covid infection, at that time, he is hospitalized either in general pediatrics, or in this specific unit if he needs, in addition to care related to his disease underlying, whether it is epilepsy or cystic fibrosis, “explains the pediatric neurologist at the microphone of Europe 1.
Faced with the illness and stress of this isolation, children of all ages are hospitalized in these units. “The youngest was 10 days old”, informs Vanessa Navarro, health manager and nursery nurse. “We are already adapting to everyday life at all ages, it’s our job. What is complicated is the anguish for the parents. It’s difficult because you are locked in this room with this anguish. These are very anxiety-provoking situations, ”she testifies.
With 14 simultaneous admissions, the hospital has reorganized itself
At La Timone hospital, up to 14 children were admitted at the same time. Sufficient activity to disrupt the functioning of these pediatric units. “We were forced to reorganize the rest of the care, which also means deprogramming of hospital check-ups but also of consultations that we will now do in video”, underlines Vanessa Navarro, who continues: “We must not forget either that nursing, medical and paramedical staff are also affected by this epidemic, so there is a lot of absenteeism to manage on a daily basis “.
“It’s not easy,” says the nursery nurse. This is why Professor Brigitte Chabrol is campaigning for vaccination to continue in adults, and also in children.
Source From: Europe1
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