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A Des Moines children's hospital is wrestling with an influx in seriously ill pediatric patients amid unseasonably high activity of respiratory viruses this spring. Over the past several weeks, staff at Blank Children's Hospital say they've seen an unusually high number of young patients hospitalized because of respiratory illnesses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This year's respiratory viral season has extended later into the year than usual, with winter viruses now overlapping with viral activity typically seen during the spring. As a result, doctors at the metro hospital say they are dealing with a spike in admissions among young patients suffering from serious infections, putting serious strain on their inpatient capacity. "The inpatient units have been at capacity many times over the past several weeks," said Dr. Wendy Woods, vice president and medical director of Blank Children's Hospital. "We start the day full, have several discharges, then fill again." Officials at MercyOne Children's Hospital in Des Moines say they are not experiencing a similar spike in pediatric admissions. "At MercyOne, we continually monitor public health trends to ensure that we can effectively serve every patient who walks through our doors. There are always transient surges, but we are not seeing any significant increase in volume related to pediatric respiratory illnesses," said Ali Boettcher, a spokesperson for MercyOne. Doctors at Blank Children's Hospital say the majority of children admitted to the hospital in recent weeks are being treated for viral bronchiolitis and viral gastroenteritis, both of which are infections that are caused by certain viruses. That's on top of the normal day-to-day admissions, Woods said, including pneumonia, traumas and routine admissions for chemotherapy treatment. The number of hospitalized patients varies "by the hour," Woods said, as the hospital can admit and discharge "15-20 kids in a 24-hour period." "That number alone doesn't seem problematic, but the viral gastroenteritis season is overlapping with the respiratory season, and the result is the spike in admissions and capacity issues," she said. Also known as the stomach flu, viral gastroenteritis can be caused by viruses such as noroviruses and rotavirus, both of which are common among children. Bronchiolitis, or a lung infection, is typically caused by RSV, a common virus among young children. Admissions for gastroenteritis from dehydration at Blank Children's are 30% higher in the first quarter of this year compared to 2023, Woods said. In addition, roughly 40% of the kids hospitalized last week have a respiratory illness "that is requiring support with oxygen or ventilation," Woods said. That's about 10% higher this year compared to last year. This recent spike in hospitalizations among children in Des Moines comes even as COVID-19 and influenza activity is declining statewide after a wintertime spike in infections. Flu activity is low and COVID-19 activity is very low as of the week ending April 13, the most recent data available from state public health officials. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported 46 Iowans were hospitalized with the flu, and 31 were hospitalized with COVID-19 infections as of April 13. At the winter height, more than 400 Iowans were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iowa in late December. Influenza caused more than 180 hospitalizations statewide in late February and early March. Nationwide, respiratory virus season appears to be past its peak, but "is definitely not over," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The coronavirus pandemic challenged the normal pattern of respiratory viral season in Iowa and across the rest of the country. After COVID-19, Woods said local doctors have seen more overlap of viral seasons in recent years than they have historically, with some viruses — like RSV — sticking around for longer than usual. "Overall, there has been a disruption in the seasonality of viruses in children since the COVID-19 pandemic," Woods said. Doctors have also had to contend with influxes in seriously ill children after the pandemic. Two years ago, Iowa hospitals were slammed by a "tripledemic" of respiratory illnesses, filling emergency rooms and urgent care clinics with young patients infected with COVID-19, flu and RSV. While still worse than pre-pandemic years, the CDC has found the nation's respiratory illness season this year is closer to a typical pre-pandemic season than it was last year. Federal public health officials say flu and RSV illnesses increased later in the fall, "which is more like what we typically saw before the pandemic." In addition, COVID-19, flu and RSV hospitalizations were not as high as last year, resulting in less strain on health care systems broadly, according to the CDC. Federal and state health officials still encourage individuals to use precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy. That includes seeking out vaccines for COVID-19, influenza and RSV, if they're eligible. However, Iowa is far below the recommended vaccination rate. As of last week, only about 15% of the state's population were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and about 34% of all Iowans had received a flu shot. If their children have a respiratory infection or the stomach flu, Woods encouraged parents to talk with their pediatrician or primary care provider to better understand how to care for their kids and how to keep them hydrated. Providers also can advise families on worrisome signs and symptoms they should call their doctor about, she said. Michaela Ramm covers health care for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at mramm@registermedia.com, at (319) 339-7354 or on Twitter at @Michaela_Ramm.What's happening at Blank Children's Hospital?
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