It’s simple really – Autumn is approaching and most paediatricians are gathering their Virally Protective Hankies to ward off the germs they know they’ll be assaulted by. There’s heavy training in many departments for the new docs — “if it’s bronchiolitis clinically, don’t X-ray them, don’t bleed them, don’t IV them and don’t give them a ‘trial’ of bronchodilators: accept it – there’s nothing you can do and the nurses will get them better with feeds, oxygen and cups of tea”.

But what about the really poorly one, that makes you think “I wish I was next door to PICU” .. surely you’re wanting just to wander down to SCBU and borrow that spare CPAP machine .. that has to work .. doesn’t it ..?

Well, a team from the North East have (probably) asked that question enough times, or been frightened by a SCBU Matron to such a degree, that they actually want to know the evidence.

What do you think?