Medical experts from one of the country's leading children's hospitals have warned that preventable health conditions in children are reaching epidemic levels. Staff at Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool, the busiest children's hospital in Europe, highlighted in a recent 'Panorama' TV programme that the hospital is spending more than £1m and hundreds of hours of treatment time tackling conditions such as obesity, tooth decay and the problems caused by passive smoking (news, 22 April).
Dr Steve Ryan, medical director at Alder Hey, told Nursery World that the trend has taken doctors by surprise.
'Some of the increase has been gradual and some has been more sudden. Tooth decay in children has crept up on us, whereas child obesity has grown very rapidly over the last 20 or 30 years. The increase in passive smoking-related conditions has increased - however, that could be because there is more awareness now and so it is easier to diagnose conditions caused by smoking.'
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