Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2015
Review Case ReportsFatal and near-fatal grape aspiration in children.
Choking remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in young children. Whole seedless grapes are a popular fruit snack to give to young children. We present 3 cases of grape aspiration, discussing the emergency care from basic life support to specialist treatment. The lessons learned will be applicable to a wide range of health professionals from frontline emergency medical service personnel to physicians and nurses working in a hospital.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2015
ReviewOrbeez: The Magic Water Absorbing Bead-Risk of Pediatric Bowel Obstruction?
In December 2012, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled the water-absorbing toy WaterBalz after reports of small intestine obstruction after ingestion by children. Orbeez, another water-absorbing bead, remains available and is marketed as a children's toy. We sought to determine the extent to which Orbeez enlarge in various liquid media and the potential risk for bowel obstruction. ⋯ Orbeez beads enlarge to a different extent in different liquid media. It is unlikely that Orbeez beads would expand to sizes or demonstrate clumping that would be concerning for intestinal obstruction.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2015
ReviewRadiographic evaluation of pediatric cerebrospinal fluid shunt malfunction in the emergency setting.
Children with ventricular cerebrospinal fluid shunts for treatment of hydrocephalus require frequent evaluation for potential shunt malfunction. Current practice relies heavily on neuroimaging, particularly cranial computed tomography, which repeatedly exposes children to ionizing radiation. Rapid cranial magnetic resonance imaging is a new radiation-sparing alternative to CT for evaluation of potential shunt malfunction. We review the diagnostic test performance, radiation exposure, advantages, and limitations of the major neuroimaging modalities available to providers caring for children with possible shunt malfunction in the emergent setting.
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Acetaminophen is a commonly used pediatric medication that has recently been approved for intravenous use in the United States. The purpose of this article was to review the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, and precautions for the use of intravenous acetaminophen in pediatrics.