Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2013
Review Case ReportsLaundry detergent "pod" ingestions: a case series and discussion of recent literature.
The objectives of this study were to present and explore the clinical presentation of the increasingly common pediatric exposure to the widely available single-use laundry packets or "laundry pods." ⋯ A different approach to the triage and management of pediatric exposures to laundry detergent pod ingestions is required compared with nonpod ingestions. Although the exact cause is not known, practitioners should be vigilant for rapid onset of neurological impairment and inability to protect the airway in addition to its caustic effects.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2013
ReviewBacterial meningitis post-PCV7: declining incidence and treatment.
The epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in the United States has changed tremendously in the past 20 years. Since the introduction of the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine in 1988, the incidence of H. influenzae type b meningitis has declined by at least 97%, and Streptococcus pneumoniae has emerged as the most common etiologic agent. The PCV7 (7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [Prevnar]; Wyeth Pharmaceuticals) vaccine, which targets 7 pneumococcal serotypes, was introduced in 2000 and has had an enormous impact on both the incidence and epidemiology of bacterial meningitis. This article reviews the impact of the PCV7 vaccine and the most up-to-date evidence on diagnosis and empiric therapy of suspected bacterial meningitis in the current day.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2013
Review Case ReportsA rare adverse effect of metronidazole: nervous system symptoms.
Metronidazole, as a 5-nitroimidazole compound, is effective on anaerobic bacteria and protozoon diseases. Mostly, metronidazole is a tolerable drug but rarely presents serious adverse effects on the nervous system. ⋯ During the metronidazole treatment, loss of sight, vertigo, ataxia, and headache occurred as the adverse effects. By this report, we want to express the rare adverse effects of drugs in the differential diagnoses of nervous system diseases.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2013
ReviewPediatric electrical burn injuries: experience of a large tertiary care hospital and a review of electrical injury.
A retrospective review of all patients admitted between February 2004 and December 2009, with a diagnosis of burns associated with electrocution, was conducted at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Data regarding type of electrocution and associated burns were collected. Of the 36 patients identified, 31 (86%) were shocked by electrical current, and 5 (14%) by lightning. ⋯ Burns associated with electrical injuries remain a worldwide problem, responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality. They can usually be prevented through simple safety measures. An effective prevention program would help address this problem.