Provincial Resources for Pediatric Respiratory Illnesses

Hospitals and emergency rooms are under intense pressure across the country amid a resurgence of childhood respiratory illness and the return of flu season. Family doctor clinics are also feeling the crunch due to high numbers of ill patients and the shortage of medications to manage fever in children.

The following provincial resources are available for health-care providers:

• Pediatric respiratory resource list (PDF): a compilation of respiratory resources for pediatric health-care providers; topics include asthma, bronchiolitis, croup, COVID-19, RSV and vaccines
• Real-Time Virtual Support (RTVS) – peer pathways that offer around the clock, virtual clinical support to rural and remote care providers in B.C
  • Child Health Advice in Real-Time Electronically (CHARLiE)
  • Maternity and Babies Advice Line (MaBAL)
  • Rural Urgent Doctors In-aid (RUDi)
• Compass Mental Health: telephone support for care providers across B.C. to deliver timely and appropriate care for children and youth. Providers have access to a multidisciplinary team including mental health and substance use clinicians (social workers, nurses, psychologists, etc.) and child and adolescent psychiatrists.

Additional resources and reminders are available for families: 

• Information for parents seeking medical care for children (PDF): If parents/caregivers are unsure if their child needs medical care, this resource can help them assess and decide.
• When to bring your child to the Emergency Department: examples to help families decide if their child needs emergency care.
• 8-1-1 HealthLink BC: families can speak to a registered nurse any time, every day of the year.
• Fever or chills, age 11 or younger: HealthLink BC webpage with details about taking temperature, causes of fever, treatment, prevention etc.
• BC Children’s Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre: provides mental health and substance use information, resources, and peer support to families across BC.