Parents are being asked to leave their children at home when visiting patients at either EMH Regional Medical Center or Community Regional Medical Center.

Increased activity of both seasonal flu and H1N1 flu at both hospitals has prompted health officials to immediately revise their respective visitation policies.

Until further notice, visitors younger than 18 will not be permitted to visit patients at either EMH’s main campus in Elyria or its affiliate, Amherst Hospital. This new policy also includes visitation to the Family Birth Center in Elyria.

LeeAnn Stover, spokeswoman for Community Regional Medical Center, said it was decided earlier this month to prohibit minors from visiting patients at the Lorain campus and at Allen Community Hospital in Oberlin.

“We are aligning ourselves with the best practices of hospitals throughout the state,” Stover said. “This decision was made to protect the health and safety of our patients and our visitors.’’

Both hospitals are also asking adults who recently have flu-like symptoms or who have been diagnosed with the flu to refrain from visiting patients.

While this temporary policy change may cause some inconveniences to families, it was made to reduce the risk of spreading the flu to patients and also to protect children and adolescents from the virus, said Dr. Donald Sheldon, president and chief executive officer of EMH.

“Children are in the high-risk category for contracting the flu virus, and I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping healthy children from becoming ill by keeping them away from the hospital,’’ Sheldon said.

While children are at high risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting widespread flu activity in 48 states with visits to doctors for flu-like illnesses continuing to increase. Flu cases are now higher than what is seen at the peak of many regular flu seasons, according to the CDC.

Both local hospitals are reporting a high number of patients complaining of flu-like symptoms.

Both are still taking children and adolescents who are in need of medical attention in their emergency rooms and doctors’ offices.

EMH and Community Regional Medical Center are not the first to restrict child visitors.

In Cuyahoga County, the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals both implemented similar policies as did hospitals in Lake, Summit and Medina counties.

Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.

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