| ■ Respiratory Disorders Common Among Young ER Visitors | 07.07.02 |
| Nearly three of every 10 children and teens admitted to a U.S. hospital after visiting the emergency room have a significant respiratory disorder, including asthma, pneumonia or acute bronchitis, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported Thursday. Of all child admissions with respiratory problems in 2004, asthma accounted for more than one-third of them, the agency said in a statement. Among children ages 5 to 9, respiratory illness accounted for 26 percent of ER visits that led to a hospital admission. Among children 10 to 14, the rate fell to 12 percent, and among teens ages 15 to 17, the rate was 8 percent, AHRQ said. Overall, about half of the 2.3 million hospital admissions involving children and teens each year begin in hospital emergency departments, the agency said. |