Laos Out-Of-Pocket Costs: an Observational Study on the Impact of Severe Childhood Illness on the Health, Wealth and Wellbeing of Household Members in Laos

Inclusion Criteria: * Child is aged between 1 month -14 years 11 months at the time of admission/presentation to outpatient / ED / hospital * Child presents to or is admitted to hospital at one of the participating study site hospitals within the time period of the study * Child presents with symptoms of acute illness that started within the last 2 weeks (14 days) prior to hospital presentation. This will include children with a chronic illness but with new onset of symptoms within last 2 weeks. * Child is assessed by a health officer at the participating study site hospital and is deemed to have a "severe" illness/injury. A "severe" illness/injury will be defined as a child showing any emergency signs as outlined in the WHO Pocketbook, second edition: OR Requires hospital admission/transfer to another health facility for further investigations and/or treatment for their acute illness/injury that cannot be performed in an outpatient setting or ED. This may include but is not limited to: transfer to another hospital with intensive care unit (ICU), intravenous (IV) medication or fluids; enteral nutrition; oxygen therapy; surgery. • Parent/guardian has provided written informed consent, and will be available for the duration of the study follow-up period. Exclusion Criteria: * Child \<1 month or \>14 years 11 months at time of presentation to hospital * Child with symptoms that started \>2 weeks (\>14 days) prior to hospital presentation * Child admitted to the neonatal int…