Hospitalisation of children and adolescents in Luxembourg

18.12.2025

An analysis by the Patiente Vertriedung of the Eng gesond Zukunft report highlights key challenges in prevention, outpatient care and capacity planning from a patient rights perspective.

The supplementary report Eng gesond Zukunft, published by the National Health Observatory, provides a detailed overview of the hospitalisation of children and adolescents in Luxembourg between 2018 and 2022.

While the report confirms the overall high quality of paediatric hospital care, it also highlights structural imbalances, predictable pressures and key areas for improvement from a patient rights perspective.

For the Patiente Vertriedung, these findings should inform political and societal reflection centred on the best interests of the child, prevention and equitable access to healthcare.

Hospitalisation concentrated at key stages of life

The report shows that paediatric hospitalisation is not evenly distributed across age groups. Two life stages account for the majority of hospital stays and inpatient days:

· The first year of life, which alone represents more than one third of inpatient stays and almost half of all hospitalisation days.

· Adolescence, which constitutes a second peak, with a high inpatient burden, particularly linked to mental health issues.

This concentration raises questions about the system’s ability to anticipate the specific needs of these age groups and to offer appropriate alternatives to traditional hospitalisation.

Hospitalisations largely linked to avoidable respiratory conditions

Among infants and young children, respiratory conditions are the leading cause of inpatient hospitalisation. A significant proportion of these stays are related to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), particularly in children under one year of age.

From the perspective of the Patiente Vertriedung, this reality raises a central question:
Why do largely predictable and partially preventable conditions continue to place such strain on hospital services?

A public health policy focused on prevention — including vaccination, parental information and early outpatient care — would not only reduce pressure on hospitals but also spare many families stressful and burdensome hospital stays.

Delays in the effective development of paediatric outpatient care

The report highlights that certain common surgical procedures, particularly ENT interventions in children, are still too often carried out on an inpatient basis.
The rate of outpatient treatment remains lower than in several comparable European countries.

From a patient perspective, this situation is concerning:

· inpatient hospitalisation is not neutral for a child,

· it disrupts family life and schooling,

· and it increases pressure on hospital capacity.

The Patiente Vertriedung calls for a controlled yet determined expansion of paediatric outpatient care, with clear criteria, comprehensive parental information and maximum safety for children.

Adolescent mental health: a warning signal

The report confirms that mental health disorders are among the leading reasons for inpatient hospitalisation among adolescents.
This reflects both increasing psychological distress and a lack of sufficient upstream alternatives.

Psychiatric hospitalisation may be necessary, but it should never become the only available response.
Patients and their families need continuous care pathways, including intermediate structures, strengthened outpatient follow-up and effective coordination after discharge.

The rights of the hospitalised child at the heart of future decisions

Hospital legislation and European texts recall that a hospitalised child has the right to:

· an environment adapted to their age,

· staff trained to meet their specific needs,

· conditions that respect their development and well-being.

Bed saturation, excessive centralisation of certain services and the lack of alternatives undermine these rights.

For the Patiente Vertriedung, it is essential that future decisions regarding hospital organisation explicitly integrate the voices of patients and families and place the best interests of the child at the centre.

Conclusion – Prevent, anticipate, adapt

This report is a valuable tool. However, figures alone are not enough.
They must be followed by concrete action.

The Patiente Vertriedung calls for:

· strengthening prevention to reduce avoidable hospitalisations,

· the safe development of paediatric outpatient care,

· anticipation of seasonal peaks rather than reacting to them,

· investment in alternatives to hospitalisation for adolescents, particularly in the field of mental health.