Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2011
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyIllicit drug exposure in patients evaluated for alleged child abuse and neglect.
Substantiation of drug exposure in cases with alleged maltreatment is important to provide proper treatment and services to these children and their families. A study performed at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics showed that 30% of pediatric patients with burn injuries, which were due to child maltreatment, were also exposed to illicit drugs. ⋯ The results of this study showed that an illicit drug screening protocol used in the assessment of children evaluated for child abuse identified almost 15% of the population of allegedly abused and neglected children who were tested according to a protocol being exposed to illicit drugs. Thus, routine drug testing of at least children assessed for neglect and nonaccidental burn and soft tissue injuries, children with a history of either parental drug use or domestic violence is recommended.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2011
Multicenter Study Comparative Study"Inappropriate" pediatric emergency medical services utilization redefined.
Previous reports on emergency medical services (EMS) transportation of pediatric patients have demonstrated a high rate of overutilization. However, there is also a concern that pediatric patients may underutilize EMS for emergencies that might benefit from EMS. This article compares EMS utilization rate between adult and pediatric patients for high-acuity patients and for the most common reasons for transport. ⋯ As compared with adults, pediatric patients are less likely to utilize EMS for transport to the hospital for both routine and emergent complaints. The definition of inappropriate utilization of EMS for pediatric transport, which has largely focused on inappropriate overutilization, should also incorporate the potential of underutilization for critical patients.
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Pediatric emergency care · Mar 2011
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyButton battery ingestion: the Greek experience and review of the literature.
Foreign body ingestion is a common cause of admission in the pediatric emergency room. In the past, button batteries accounted for less than 2% of the foreign bodies ingested by small children, but in the last 2 decades, they show a rapidly increased frequency. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential risk after button battery ingestion in relation with the clinical manifestations and to perform a treatment-observation protocol in accordance with the international procedure. ⋯ The role of primary care physicians in informing the public about the potential danger of button battery digestion is crucial. Pediatricians should educate the parents about this hazard, as part of the routine guidelines for childproofing at home. Once again, prolepsis is the best policy.
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Pediatric emergency care · Feb 2011
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyFamily presence during invasive procedures at the emergency department: what is the opinion of Spanish medical staff?
Family presence (FP) during invasive procedures (IPs) in children remains controversial among pediatric emergency department (PED) staff. The authors aimed to determine health care providers' attitudes toward FP during IPs in Spain, to learn whether parents are given the option of being present during different IPs, and to study which factors influence the providers' opinions. ⋯ The PED staff tend to prefer parents not to be present during IPs as the level of invasiveness increases. Family presence is not common in Spanish PEDs. Older physicians are more likely to support FP than nurses.
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Pediatric emergency care · Dec 2010
Multicenter StudyOff-road vehicle trauma in children: a New South Wales perspective.
There is paucity of data on off-road vehicle injuries in children in Australia. We performed a retrospective study from 1998 to 2003 to analyze the frequency and nature of injuries in children involved in off-road vehicle crashes in the state of New South Wales. ⋯ Off-road motor vehicle injuries are a significant problem in children. There are no legal safety regulations for use of these vehicles. With the increasing sales of these vehicles, the incidence of injury may rise. There seems a need for education and legislation in relation to the safety issues concerned with these vehicles.