Category Critical Care

Pediatric Difficult Airway

Pediatric Difficult Airway

Respiratory illness, sepsis, and trauma are three important entities afflicting children that may lead to needing to manage a child’s airway. Airway management in the ED is a complex interplay of patient factors, clinical illness status, and provider factors that,…

Neutropenic Fever

Neutropenic Fever in Children

We all are well aware of the prevalence “fever” as a presenting complaint. We are also well aware that not all “cc: fever” are created equal. Fever in a neonate may be due to a virus, but we can’t bet…

ALCAPA – Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery

ALCAPA - Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery

Embryology is amazing. Seriously. Think about it. Growing from one cell to all of the complex structures that form our organs is literally miraculous. It is shocking that it is able to occur correctly at all and it should be…

Capillary Refill & Shock

Delayed Cap Refill

The critically ill infant and child can be “tricky” to spot sometimes. Often the phrase “That kid just doesn’t look right,” is heard around the room of critically ill children. So we recognize that “something isn’t right,” but have a hard time putting…

Ogilvie’s Syndrome

Colonic pseudo-obstruction

Caring for people, particularly children, can be very humbling. Just when you think you have a grasp of the potential hazards and pitfalls, a new zebra runs you over. While focusing extensively on “zebras” can be counterproductive, it is useful…

Linear Skull Fracture

Linear Skull Fracture

We all know that traumatic brain injury is a significant concern when evaluating pediatric patients with head injury. Over the years, this concern has lead to significant shifts in imaging and management practices: some for the better and… others perhaps…

Negative Pressure Pulmonary Edema and Croup

Negative Pressure Pulmonary Edema and Croup

Caring for patients is very humbling. I once described the EM Mindset as being one that requires Humble Arrogance (See EMDocs.net) – requiring humility to know you can’t know it all and arrogance to believe that your skills can make a…