Rebecca Danne with her partner Ben Pickwell, 15-month-old son Luca and 3-year-old daughter Milan. Credit:Paul Jeffers Luca has several problems with his heart, including double outlet right ventricle, transposition of the great arteries, and a hole in his heart. His first surgery was only 24 hours after he was born, and his most recent was in June, when he had to spend four weeks at the Royal Children's Hospital. By then end of that stay, Luca's family were keen to bring him home to Heathmont. Ms Danne said she was "over the moon" when the hospital told her Luca could continue his intravenous (IV) treatment from home, with 24 days to go.

"It allowed us to come home and be a little family again," Ms Danne said. "Luca was bouncing back, but he still needed the antibiotics, he didn't need the 24-hour care so it allowed us to come home and still get the treatment he needed." Medical experts say some children with severe infections requiring IV antibiotics, can safely have the treatment administered at home, instead of in hospital. A worldwide review, by researchers at the Murdoch Children's Institute, has found young patients with acute infections, skin infections, appendicitis, urinary tract infections, chest infections in cystic fibrosis and infections in cancer, can be treated at home. It revealed at-home treatment was just as good as in hospital, in terms of safety, cost and patient satisfaction.

The report's author, Associate Professor Penelope Bryant, said the results would benefit both families and hospitals. "This allows children to get home more quickly, as traditionally children spend more time in hospital than they need to," Ms Bryant said. "It also benefits other children coming into the hospital, so there's less wait time in emergency departments. For some children we might be able to avoid hospital all together." Right now, Ms Bryant said between 22 and 25 children in Victoria were receiving the IV treatment at home daily. Nurses and doctors visit the families, with all of the equipment required. She hoped the research would encourage more parents to opt for at-home treatment.