Twice as many teenagers hospitalised after intoxicants over autumn break, youngest only 12

The Children's Clinical University Hospital (BKUS) reports that the number of teenagers admitted after consuming alcohol or other intoxicating substances has doubled this autumn compared with last year. During the autumn school break, 15 young people required medical assistance, and the youngest of them was just 12 years old.

The hospital describes the figures as alarming and urges parents to talk with teenagers about where and with whom they spend their free time.

Patient flow during the break

In the week of 19 to 25 October, 1,279 children and young people turned to the hospital's Emergency Medicine Centre, an average of 180 per day. That is one-fifth more patients than during the autumn break week last year. The busiest period came at the end of the week.

Still, compared with regular school weeks, the break was somewhat calmer. In September and October the hospital treated an average of 1,530 patients per week, and in mid-October as many as 1,660. During the break there were roughly 17% fewer patients.

Who the patients were and why they came

Nearly half of the patients were preschool-age children, and a third were teenagers. Injuries were the most common reason: one in three patients came with bruises or fractures. Fingers and hands were injured most often, while head injuries were typical among the youngest children.

The second-largest group was seasonal infections, including upper respiratory viral infections, laryngitis, acute gastroenteritis and middle ear infections.

Hospital recommendations

The hospital asks parents to keep a sick child at home and send them to school or kindergarten only on a family doctor's advice. It also recommends using reflectors in the dark and wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle or scooter, with parents reminding their children to do so.