Rutland parents urged to avoid unnecessary hospital trips this winter
Leicester hospitals are reporting an increase in children in A&E this time of year
Rutland parents are being advised how to keep their children out of emergency departments this winter, as reports show a 2000 monthly rise.
Staff at Leicester's University hospitals Trust say the number of children they see each month rises by around 2000 at this time of year, and they're working to limit unnecessary visits.
Doctor Damian Roland has released an online 'Parent's Stay Well Guide' for parents aged 0-9 years old.
It provides information on how to treat common illnesses at home, including fever, head injury, diarrhoea and vomiting and breathing issues.
Dr Roland says covid may have increased anxieties around health problems.
He said: "A lot of emphasis was placed on having a fever or a cough, it meant so much you're child needed to be off school and maybe parents off work.
"So the significance of some of these minor ailments was in everyday news, and I think it's going to take a while to get over that.
The guide is aimed to "empower" parents so they can treat children at home.
He added: "It avoids them coming to an emergency departments sometimes, and if that child isn't very very unwell they may have a very long wait to be seen.
"We're trying to avoid that situation for families."