P Some children need to be observed for a period of time before deciding the severity of their illness and their management. This is partly because of their inability to communicate certain symptoms and they can clinically deteriorate rapidly as they have less physiological reserve. An ED has time constraints set by the government. Children needing a longer time of observation have been traditionally admitted onto a paediatric ward. These usually have a ward round once or twice a day and do not always have a high turn over of the children admitted for observation. An alternative is to assess these children in an observation unit that is part of an ED

Some children need to be observed for a period of time before deciding the severity of their illness and their management. This is partly because of their inability to communicate certain symptoms and they can clinically deteriorate rapidly as they have less physiological reserve. An ED has time constraints set by the government. Children needing a longer time of observation have been traditionally admitted onto a paediatric ward. These usually have a ward round once or twice a day and do not always have a high turn over of the children admitted for observation. An alternative is to assess these children in an observation unit that is part of an ED