In a report in the December issue of Pediatrics, researchers at UCLA paint a gloomy view of hospital emergency rooms' ability to treat emergency pediatric cases. The survey of 5,144 emergency rooms suggests that only 6 percent have all of the necessary equipment on hand to treat children.

The researchers wanted to determine if the hospitals were following 2001 guidelines regarding pediatric care that were released by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians. The study also notes that only 11 percent of emergency room visits by kids occur in hospitals specifically designed to treat children. The overwhelming majority end up in regular emergency rooms.

ACEP, in responding to the 6 percent statistic, called it "misleading." The organization cited studies suggesting that 95 percent of children who come to emergency departments are treated successfully and released. "This raises the question of whether the list of equipment is too extensive, since emergency departments use it as a guideline, and the universal good outcomes seem to indicate that physicians are making the necessary adjustments," ACEP said.

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