“He was in rough shape,” said the Burnaby mother of two. “Remember, I had a five-year-old at home who was recently diagnosed with pneumonia.” Thexton says Naiah was experiencing similar symptoms and her fever was no longer responding to Tylenol. She called her pediatrician, who advised her to take Naiah to the emergency room at BC Children’s Hospital. “We see the triage line out the door, we see kids who are obviously very sick,” Thexton said. Thinking it would take hours just to register, Thexton drove to Burnaby Hospital. There, she was able to check in, but her daughter never saw a doctor. “We stayed in the room and no one came to check her vitals, check her temperature,” Thexton said. “Her temperature was checked in triage, but that was six hours ago.” At 4 a.m., with her daughter begging to leave and hearing little communication from staff, Thexton decided her daughter’s health would be in better hands at home. “Parents really want to know what’s going on, especially after waiting six hours with a young child,” Thexton said. “We are very sorry for this family’s experience,” said Craig Murray, a physician and regional medical director at Fraser Health. “It’s never our goal to keep anyone waiting. We would like to see them all as soon as possible.” Hospitals across the province are facing staff shortages and overwhelming levels of illness, particularly among children. “In terms of pediatric cases, yes, this is the busiest time I can remember,” Murray said. Murray says alternative options for primary care include calling 811 for help or visiting a Primary Care Urgent Center. But BC’s top doctor says emergency rooms remain a viable option. “If you’re concerned about your child, don’t put off that visit if you need to go to the emergency department,” provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a news conference Wednesday. “You will be seen, you will be tested and we will all have to be patient.” Thexton says Naiah was put on antibiotics by her family doctor and is now on the mend. The whole experience, however, left Thexton worried about her children’s future. “Right now, I feel like our system, especially for our kids in emergencies and surgeries, is really at breaking point,” he said.
