Carers Week Highlights Support Needs, Equality Across UK

A major new study led by Monash University and published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health has found that parental intuition is a stronger predictor of serious illness in children than traditional vital signs such as heart rate or blood pressure. The research analyzed tens of thousands of pediatric emergency visits, consistently showing that children whose parents voiced concerns were significantly more likely to require intensive care or mechanical ventilation. In some cases, parents detected deterioration before any abnormal vital signs appeared, with parental concern linked to a fourfold increase in likelihood of ICU admission. The findings follow high-profile cases like that of Martha Mills, whose death after parental warnings were ignored has led to NHS pilot programs emphasizing the right to a second opinion, known as 'Martha’s rule.' Experts now advocate for formally integrating parental input into hospital early warning systems to help prevent adverse outcomes and improve patient safety. The study underscores that listening to parents is an essential component of effective pediatric care.