Children in York admitted to hospital with hyothermia, as families struggle to heat homes
The city's public health boss said there had been at least two examples of small infants being taken to hospital with the condition
York's public health boss has warned some children are being admitted to hospital with hypothermia as families struggle to heat homes because of soaring costs.
Sharon Stoltz told a meeting of councillors there had been at least two examples of small infants being taken to hosptial with the condition- a medical emergency which sees body temperatures drop below 35 C.
Health visitors in the city have been reporting a number of worrying trends linked to the cost of living crisis, including mothers struggling to feed their newborn children.
“We have significant concerns at the moment about families who have chosen to not breastfeed their infants but to use infant formula that then can’t afford to buy the infant formula,” Ms Stoltz said.
She was speaking as councillors and local health representatives discussed Healthwatch York’s latest report into the cost of living crisis during a meeting of the health and wellbeing board.
Healthwatch manager Sian Balsom said it was the first time the organisation had felt the need to put a content warning on one of its reports due to its distressing nature.
She added: “I think it is truly remarkable that we are having these conversations and truly awful that so many people in our community are deeply affected by this.”