The bronchiolitis epidemic,
extremely early this year, accelerating (again) in New Aquitaine. Last week, among children aged under 2 hospitalized in the region, one in two was for bronchiolitis. Gironde is one of the 10 French departments most affected by the epidemic. At the CHU Pellegrin children’s hospital in Bordeaux, the bed occupancy rate has already reached 100%.
Sixty children cared for instead of three or four
“For the moment, pediatric emergencies remain of course fully accessible, explains Doctor Stéphanie Bui, head of the pneumo-paediatrics department. But, you have to play a little musical chairs to find room for everyone. We also try to get the children out as quickly as possible.” Children spend an average of four days in hospital, whereas normally it is a week.
It must be said that the epidemic is very strong. It’s simple, at that time, the CHU normally treats three or four cases of bronchiolitis whereas today, there are already more than sixty children hospitalized for this acute respiratory viral infection whose a dozen in intensive care. Management has also triggered its white plan for several weeks.
The specific unit still closed for lack of resources
This situation is explained by the low collective immunity in children due to Covid-19 in recent years but above all because of the lack of means: “This year, we were unable to open the specific unit dedicated to the bronchiolitis epidemic because there is a lack of paramedical personnel”, says Stephanie Bui. Between bed closings and not opening this unit, it is a deficit of about thirty beds according to this person in charge.
“This situation could become dangerous, insists Bénédicte, a childcare nurse. So far, we have managed to avoid the worst. We try to do our best but we’re not Shiva, we don’t have 25 arms. And then, it generates stress because we are at the very beginning of winter, it has not even started and we are already full. The staff must also manage parents who are sometimes more and more aggressive because of the wait. Last week, for example, the CHU had to request the intervention of the police to restore calm to the pediatric emergencies.
Respect barrier gestures for parents
For several days, the authorities have therefore decided to launch a broad communication with parents. The objective is to prevent pediatric emergencies from quickly saturating with this epidemic. “Apart from the signs of respiratory distress, you must try to turn first to your doctor, your pediatrician or SOS doctors for the consultation. You should not come to the emergency room if the little one or the little one just has a stuffy nose or fever”, recalls Dr Stéphanie Bui.
She adds that he “Above all, you must not contaminate children and respect barrier gestures as much as possible. Indeed, bronchiolitis in children comes from a simple cold from an adult so if the parents are a little sick, you have to be careful. wash your hands, disinfect them and if necessary wear a mask.