Limerick mum of child with history of breathing difficulties begs for new ED in Mid-West

THE MOTHER of a five-year-old girl with a history of breathing difficulties believes the Mid-West region needs another emergency department (ED).

Pamela Kelly’s young daughter Zara has been hospitalised three times due to respiratory issues - most seriously in October when she was admitted to the resuscitation unit.

The Castletroy mother told the Limerick Leader that the situation was so grave in October that the doctors were considering the possibility of intubating the girl, before managing to stabilise her in the High Dependency Unit.

After a tough winter, more hospital admissions, and a lot of missed school days, Ms Kelly and Zara ended up back in the ED of University Hospital Limerick on May 28.

On that day, they had gone to their GP and Zara had fallen asleep in the car, which is very unusual for her.

“She was limp in my arms, she wasn’t talking and she was struggling to breathe,” Ms Kelly said.

The GP told Ms Kelly that there was a minimal amount of air getting into Zara’s right lung and to bring her straight to UHL.
She said when she arrived the waiting room of the ED was packed.

At that point, Zara was trying so hard to breathe that her heart rate was double the rate it should have been.

“Anything to do with breathing is very scary,” Ms Kelly said.

The distressed mother said that she got medical attention as soon as she could and Zara was assessed by a doctor and nurses, but there was no bed for her to go to and so she couldn’t be put on oxygen.

“She goes down extra fast, she literally goes limp and is unable to speak,” the traumatised mother told the Limerick Leader / Limerick Live.

According to figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), on the day Ms Kelly and her daughter were in the ED, there were 110 patients waiting for a bed and 60 of these were in the emergency department.

The Limerick Leader understands that a report on overcrowding is due this week, as well as the review into the death of Aoife Johnston, 16, at UHL.

Ms Kelly said the hospital needs more resources.

“The staff were doing their best, they were so kind and helpful, but there should be beds lined up waiting for children and people who need them.”

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Zara did get a bed in a cubicle in the ED where she was given oxygen, nebulisers and steroids - she was treated quickly and was not admitted.

“It was the most horrendous, frightening experience,” Ms Kelly said.

She said something temporary needs to be set up before a new ED is built to relieve the pressure, and more 24/7 ED services are needed.

A spokesperson for the HSE Mid West said: “Approximately 22% of all patients attending the ED at UHL are paediatric patients (0-15 years). Most paediatric patients who present at our ED will be discharged following observations, tests or treatment.

Where a child does require admission to hospital, there is a total of 49 beds available in the Children's Ark. Long wait times for admission for paediatric patients are uncommon in UHL.

The ED at UHL has a separate designated waiting area for children.”