RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Paediatric early warning scores: Holy Grail and Achilles' heel JF Archives of disease in childhood - Education & practice edition JO Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health SP 208 OP 215 DO 10.1136/archdischild-2011-300976 VO 97 IS 6 A1 Damian Roland YR 2012 UL http://ep.bmj.com/content/97/6/208.abstract AB Early Warning Scores (EWS) have become increasingly used by hospitals throughout the world to prevent unexpected admission to intensive care or even death in their inpatient population. It is well known that signs of deterioration are present well before collapse and by a combination of systems, EWS enable healthcare professionals to intervene at an appropriate time. A number of national bodies and regulators in the UK have required the use of Early Warning Scores in locations where children are inpatients. This article attempts to describe the background to their development, identify common problems and provide information for units interested in introducing an EWS into their department.