Symptom checker launched to provide advice for parents of sick children

An online tool to help parents across Northern Ireland make informed decisions about their children’s health has been launched by the Belfast Trust.

The Paediatric Symptom Checker details the regular symptoms seen in the Emergency Department at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

It has been developed by the trust’s paediatric emergency and general paediatric team, in consultation with Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool and the Healthier Together Programme.

The platform provides advice for parents to consider when their child becomes unwell and ranges from coughs and colds through to burns and more serious symptoms.

Dr Julie-Ann Maney, emergency consultant at Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, said: “This is an excellent, informative tool which is designed not to replace the advice we provide in hospital, but as a guide to parents who are sometimes not sure of the right course of action to take.”

“Children regularly get sick, they can get up to 10 colds every year when they are very young, which is their immune system developing responses to the infections we are all exposed to every day.

“We recognise that this can be worrying for parents and want to help by providing high quality, easy to follow advice.”

Dr Sarah Kapur, general paediatric consultant, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children said, “Bringing a child to an emergency department is sometimes not the right course of action, but parents can feel they do not have access to the right information.

“We would much rather see a child who does not need to be there than not see one who does need to be there.

“However, we hope this symptom checker can provide some reassurance in addition to GP services, pharmacies and other aspects of the healthcare system.”

Health Minister Robin Swann said: “I very much welcome the launch of this paediatric symptom checker. My thanks go all to those who have worked on its development.

“I never cease to be inspired by the commitment of health care staff to innovation and improvement.

“I have no doubt this symptom checker will prove to be an invaluable resource for parents right across Northern Ireland.”