Quantifying the costs of hospital admission for families of children with a febrile illness in the North East of England.

A child's hospital admission for fever can incur significant financial costs for their family. One in five participating families reported financial hardship following their child's admission. Self-employed and single parents were disadvantaged by unplanned hospital admissions and at an increased risk of financial hardship. Local hospital policies should be improved to support families in the current financial climate.