Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Mar 2014
Comparative StudyPresentation to either the pediatric emergency department or primary care clinic for acute illness: the caregivers' perspective.
This study aimed to understand and compare caregivers' perceptions of and attitudes toward care received in a primary care clinic (PCC) versus that received in the pediatric emergency department (PED) as well as the reasons for selecting either location to receive care for their child. ⋯ Although all children had the same medical home, caregivers who presented to the PCC were more likely to have called the clinic, spoken with a nurse, and reported greater satisfaction with the PCC than those who brought their child to the PED.
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Headache is a common presenting complaint in pediatric emergency departments. The goal of emergent evaluation is to identify those children with potentially life-threatening conditions. ⋯ Genetic testing eventually led to the diagnosis of SDHB-related hereditary paraganglioma-pheochromocytoma syndrome. Alarm features ("red flags") in children presenting with headache are reviewed, as well as the main features of paragangliomas and the indications for genetic testing.
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Pediatric emergency care · Mar 2014
Validation of the accuracy of a transport ventilator utilizing a pediatric animal model.
The objective of this study was to evaluate 2 transport ventilators utilizing both a test lung and a pediatric animal model. ⋯ In this study, we demonstrate that there are differences between the 2 ventilators in regard to oxygen consumption, duration of battery power, and volume accuracy. Clinicians should be aware of these differences to optimize the choice and use of both ventilators depending on clinical need/setting.
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Pediatric emergency care · Mar 2014
Case ReportsStatus epilepticus, cardiac resuscitation, and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome after ingestion of viscous lidocaine: a plea for more childproof packaging of pharmaceuticals.
Ingestion of viscous lidocaine in children can lead to potentially lethal neurologic and cardiac effects. We report the case of a 2-year-old boy who developed posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome 2 days after unobserved ingestion of about 500 mg viscous lidocaine (40 mg/kg of bodyweight). Initially, the child presented with convulsive status epilepticus and subsequent cardiac arrest necessitating cardiopulmonary resuscitation for eight minutes. ⋯ Despite the potential hazardousness of the drug, packaging of viscous lidocaine is not childproof. Therefore, physicians have to instruct the parents carefully to minimize the risk of overuse or accidental ingestion. In general, the use of viscous lidocaine should be limited.
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Pediatric emergency care · Mar 2014
Review Case ReportsAlternative airways for the pediatric emergency department.
Securing the pediatric airway in the emergency setting is an uncommon event that is complicated by anatomic, physiologic, and environmental factors. Even more uncommonly, practitioners are faced with the added complication of a difficult airway, and the question of what alternatives to traditional endotracheal intubation are available and most useful may arise. Timely and effective intervention determines the patient's clinical outcome. The purpose of this review was to detail specific alternative airway management strategies and tools for use in the pediatric emergency department.