Hospitalized kids get too many infections, study finds

St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Seattle Times, June 3, 2008

Hospitalized children suffer too many infections and other preventable complications that extend their stays and cost millions, according to a study released by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Researchers found that some complications occurred in up to 4% of children treated at 38 children's hospitals nationwide, and that children are three times more susceptible to infections in hospitals compared with adults. Better hand washing, sterilization, preventive antibiotic treatments and other safety techniques can help reduce hospital-based infections, according to researchers.