A plan for child health: prevention, new compulsory examination, screening… an update on what the government is planning

Le gouvernement a annoncé ce jeudi 23 mai 2024 un plan voulu “ambitieux” autour de la santé de l’enfant (photo d’illustration). Bermix Studio – UNSPLASH

To respond to several crises, the government announced this Thursday, May 23, 2024 a desired "ambitious" around child health, which intends to strengthen prevention, the number of caring professionals and even improve neonatal care.

On the eve of the "pediatrics conference", postponed several times to 2023, the government presented its roadmap, made up of 16 measures and 80 actions "concretes".

According to the offices of the Ministers Delegate for Health, Frédéric Valletoux, and in charge of Children, Sarah El Haïry, who carry this plan, "it’is the fruit of long work on the part of a committee appointed in November 2022 following the triple epidemic (of Covid, flu and bronchiolitis) which had powered on pediatric systems".

"A turning point"

Another observation that governed the meetings, which were preceded by 121 hearings and around 2,000 written contributions: the deterioration of several indicators in recent years around infant mortality or mental health of young people.

"Faced with these challenges, we wanted to fundamentally rethink our approach to children's health", explained Frédéric Valletoux, believing that this plan is "a real turning point in our approach to the health of the youngest".

New exam

The envelope devoted to its concrete implementation will be finalized in the coming weeks, according to the ministers' entourage.

The government intends above all to emphasize prevention, with the desire to systematize the carrying out of the 20 compulsory examinations of the child. He wants to create a new compulsory exam at age 6 to detect possible neurodevelopmental, language or optical disorders.

By 2027, he wants 100% of children to benefit from screening in kindergarten thanks to the joint and coordinated action of PMI (protection nursery school), National Education and Health Insurance in conjunction with liberal professionals.

"Best Follow"

"The ongoing overhaul of the child’s health record will allow for better monitoring of these examinations", underlines those around the ministers .

Examinations, some of which must be upgraded as part of the current negotiation between doctors and Health Insurance.

A key area of ​​prevention, the Nirsévimab treatment for bronchiolitis, similar to a vaccine, reserved this year for maternity wards, will be extended next year to practitioners in the city.

Facilitating access to speech therapists

The plan also plans to facilitate access to speech therapists, without first going to a treating doctor. Faced with growing needs, it promises an increase in the number of training places for this specialty from 10% from 2025 to 50% in 2030.

And he promises upgrades for these professionals working in public establishments. Upgrades also expected for psychologists, whose number in medical-psychological centers (CMP) must necessarily increase in the face of recent alerts on the mental health of young people.

"respite"solutions

To prevent post-natal depression, an interview carried out after childbirth will be systematized. "respite" solutions may be offered to prevent parental exhaustion such as emergency reception areas or supportive daycares.

In neonatology, also in crisis, the objective is to reach 1 bed for 1,000 births, in intensive care, across the entire territory by 2027.

Train "better" and more

The government also insists on the need to improve access to care for children placed in child welfare, providing for free health examinations mental or with psychomotor therapists.

Overall, it will be "training better and training more professionals in child health". To achieve this, the government plans to increase the number of places in pediatric medicine training by 50% by 2030 to reach 600 places per year.

An advanced practical mention in "child health"

He also intends to create a specialty in advanced practice in "child health" for nurses for a first return to school in school in September 2027 at the latest.

In order to contribute to research and improve knowledge around child health, a large prenatal pediatric cohort, comprising 200,000 families enrolled over four years, will provide a better understanding of the environmental and psychosocial determinants of the occurrence pediatric pathologies, particularly cancers.