Category Critical Care

Subtle Signs of Pediatric Heart Failure

Subtle Signs of Pediatric Heart Failure For anyone who spends time in the Adult ED, signs and symptoms of heart failure become rather conspicuous.  The increased work of breathing, the JVD, the significant lower extremity edema are noted prior to…

Fontan Complications

Congenital Heart Disease

Fontan Complications As more and more children are having successful surgical procedures to compensate for congenital heart disease, the likelihood that one of these post-operative heart patients will present to your ED increases. It is necessary for us to stay…

Splenic Sequestration – Be a Spleen Detective!

A common theme of many of the PedEM Morsels has been the need to be ever vigilant. This is not in contradistinction to the adult side of the ED. Certainly vigilance is mandatory with all patient encounters; however, the fact…

Coarctation of the Aorta in Older Children

We have discussed my philosophy of pediatric EM prior: primarily it is composed of a wide variety of “grandma diagnoses,” that can be accurately diagnosed and managed by an astute grandmother.  Our purpose, however, is to not be another “grandma,”…

Post-Tonsillectomy Hemorrhage

We know that all bleeding eventually stops: ideally, by means that we have imposed rather than by exhaustion of the patient’s RBC resources. We also know that the easiest, and often most efficacious, way to halt bleeding is to put…

Neonatal Seizures – Not a Benzo Deficiency!

We are all rather accustomed to managing the patient who is having a seizure. ABCDs… Airway, Breathing, Circulation, and Disrobe… and then Benzos if there is still shaking. This method works pretty well. But one population that deserves some specific…

Pancytopenia and Malaria

You may wonder why over the past >3 years I have continued to write and distribute my beloved PedEM Morsels. You consider the fame and fortune that I have amassed and realize that… well, that cannot be it. Certainly knowing…