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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Matthew Weaver

Parental intuition better at spotting child illness than vital signs, study finds

Hand of child in hospital bed with drop
The Melbourne study found that parents’ and carers’ concerns were ‘significantly’ linked to their child being admitted to an intensive care unit. Photograph: Smith Assavarujikul/Getty Images

Parental intuition is more likely to predict critical illness among children than vital signs used to monitor health, according to a study that strengthens the case for families to have a right to a second opinion under Martha’s rule being piloted in the NHS.

Experts from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said parents should be treated as part of a child’s care team in hospital after data on almost 190,000 emergency hospital visits involving children.

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