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Patsy Moy

Health workers find treats and phone calls can help calm isolated young patients pining for their families

Doctors are using toys, ice-creams, mobile phone calls and story books to win over child Sars patients who are forced to part from their parents and go into isolation wards.

Paediatrics professor Lau Yu-lung, of the University of Hong Kong, said most young children were moody and emotional when admitted to hospital.

'Our doctors and nurses are very patient and try to pacify those children. We even relax our rules by allowing the children to use mobile phones to talk to their parents every day. We understand they miss their parents during isolation,' said Professor Lau, who works at Queen Mary Hospital, the university's teaching hospital.

Chinese University paediatrics professor Hon Kam-lun said doctors and nurses had to 'bribe' their young patients, using items including their favourite toys, story books and snacks.

'I remember a five-year-old boy with Sars was very unhappy when he was admitted to the isolation ward,' he said.

'He struggled whenever we tried to carry out blood tests on him. The boy cried a lot and refused to wear a mask. His tears and droplets actually caused a high risk of infection to our medical staff.

'He put doctors and nurses at a lot of risk until one day he told us he loved ice-cream. After that, we gave him ice-cream before we had his injections, and he became much more co-operative.

'There was a happy ending to that story. He returned home after three weeks in hospital and has made a full recovery.'

Prince of Wales Hospital also relaxed its rules and allows young patients to use mobile phones to talk to their parents every day.

Dr Hon said more than 30 children aged between two and 17 had been treated at Prince of Wales Hospital, six of whom remained in hospital.

He said it was a challenge keeping children in isolation wards.

'Most remain very active during treatment and they are reluctant to stay in isolation wards. They also miss their parents very much. But we found the ice-cream, TV games and toy policies very effective,' Dr Hon said.

He said he was impressed by the patience and understanding of one child during the three weeks of Sars treatment.

'She was only six but seemed to understand the treatment and isolation were necessary,' Dr Hon said. 'Instead of crying or losing her temper, she always had a smile and co-operated with the medical staff. It was very moving.'

Kwok Ka-ki, convenor of Action Group on Medical Policy, said children would feel helpless after being separated from their parents.

Dr Kwok urged the Hospital Authority to expand its video-conference facilities to all major hospitals treating Sars patients so parents could keep in contact with children without the threat of infection.

So far, only Wong Tai Sin Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital provides video-conference facilities. 'It would make a difference if the children could see their parents' face,' he said.



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