Emergency departments across the country are treating a record number of pediatric patients. More children then ever before are heading to the Emergency Room!

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) publishes an annual report that details national health statistics. In 2006, they reported that four out of the ten most common causes for hospital admittance involved a respiratory disorder. Asthma, pneumonia, acute bronchitis, and upper respiratory infection account for over 133,900 hospital stays that started in emergency rooms.

“This is especially true in the youngest children, 0 to 4 years of age, for whom these respiratory conditions account for many ED visits and admissions to the hospital,” reports Michael Rosen, MD, Pediatric Director of the Emergency Department at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.

Respiratory disorders are becoming an increasingly large public health issue. Second-hand smoke, pollution, and poor air quality all contribute to the decreasing respiratory health of children. In order to combat this health problem, respiratory therapists are needed to help care for people who are suffering from lung disorders. Their responsibilities include:

• Evaluating patients
• Taking medical histories
• Administering blood tests
• Maintaining ventilators
• Taking lung capacity tests
• Using chest therapy
• Advising medications
• Providing forms of oxygen

Respiratory therapists are particularly important because a deficit currently exists between the number of skilled workers entering the workforce and the number of jobs available.

Unintentional injuries, such as falls and accidental poisonings, also send over 9 million children to the E.R. each year. Here were the top 10 reasons why children visited the Emergency Room in 2006:

1. Fever (1,659,000 visits, 7.6%)
2. Cough (828,000 visits, 3.8%)
3. Vomiting (611,000 visits, 2.8%)
4. Unspecified injuries to the head, neck, and face (368,000 visits, 1.7%)
5. Facial area symptoms (352,000 visits, 1.6%)
6. Ear aches or ear infection (347,000 visits, 1.6%)
7. Skin rash
8. Stomach and abdominal pain or cramps (277,000 visits, 1.35%)
9. Throat symptoms (239,000 visits, 1.1%)
10. Difficulty breathing (dyspnea; 203,000 visits, 0.9%)

The Lester M. Borenstein Department of Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel is equipped with the latest technical equipment and a highly trained staff who are qualified to treat the 80,000 patients who visit the E.R. each year. The Department’s board-certified emergency physicians and specialized emergency nurses are all equipped to handle every medical, surgical, and psychiatric emergency that may arise.

“We are equipped to handle all types of pediatric emergencies with a separate pediatric waiting area and board-certified pediatric emergency specialists,” says Dr. Rosen. “Parents should feel comfortable that their children are receiving the best, most advanced care possible with a sensitive touch.”