Respiratory season health reminder to families ahead of winter months

BC Children’s emergency department (ED) often records an increase in children presenting with cold and flu-like symptoms in the latter half of the year, with the volume of patients presenting with cough and congestion symptoms almost doubling (99 per cent) from September to October 2024*.

Respiratory viruses – including colds and flus – are common amongst children. To help reduce the risk of serious illness, it's important to:

• Ensure you know where to access care: If your child has a non-urgent concern and you don’t know where to seek care, call 8-1-1 for free healthcare guidance. This enables EDs to prioritize care for those with emergency health concerns.
• Get vaccinated: Vaccination offers the best protection against serious viral illness. Ensure your infant/child six months and above receives their recommended routine immunizations, including seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Visit HealthLink BC for BC’s vaccination schedule.
• Hand hygiene: Encourage children to wash their hands regularly, especially before eating, and urge them to try not to touch their face. Remind children to cough and sneeze into their elbow or a tissue, if available.
• Stay at home from school, work and outings if you or your child feel or are unwell, especially for fever, cough, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea symptoms.

“If you need guidance on where to access medical care, BC Children’s Hospital has a dedicated webpage, developed in consultation with emergency medicine doctors” says Melissa Skaugset, Division Head of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, BC Children’s Hospital. “It offers guidance on the top urgent issues that require care from your nearest ED, and those that can be managed in other clinical settings. I also strongly encourage parents and caregivers to keep up to date with their child(s) vaccinations this winter season

There are different care options available to parents and families depending on the urgency of a child’s health concern:

• Emergency care: children with a medical emergency, such as difficulty breathing, require immediate medical attention. Families are urged to call 9-1-1 for ambulance services or visit their nearest ED or urgent and primary care centre. Ensure you arrive at the ED prepared, if it is safe to take the time to pack. Bring snacks and drinks, toys and books, and other items to support and soothe their infant or child while they wait, as well as items like a phone charger.
• Non-urgent concerns: children with less urgent concerns may receive care from a family doctor or nurse practitioner, including in walk-in clinics or urgent and primary care centres, if available in your community.
  • BC pharmacies: BC pharmacists can provide direct care for select minor ailments, including pink eye (conjunctivitis), upset stomachs, sprains and strains, and allergies.
  • HealthLink BC: provides reliable, non-emergency health information and advice any time of the day or night by phone at 8-1-1.
  • Individuals can call for advice on how to manage their symptoms, and for information on when and where to seek care. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can contact HealthLinkBC using Video Relay Services (VRS), or Teletypewriter (TTY) by dialing 7-1-1.
• BC Children’s Hospital dedicated webpage

*184 patients presented to the ED with cough/congestion symptoms in September 2024, compared to 367 patients in October 2024.