Caring for the child in shock is challenging! Vascular access has to be attained. Fluids have to be given quickly and Vasopressors may need to be started early! Certainly, the airway must be evaluated and, occasionally, secured. All of this…
We have discussed, previously, how the unique anatomic and physiologic differences kids have may make conditions more subtle and challenging to detect and diagnose. Additionally, the rarity of some dangerous conditions makes it difficult to easily consider these conditions. One…
Oh, the cacophony of coughing: it is like the theme music to the Pediatric ED during the winter months. While often benign, we do need to consider many conditions that may be the cause (ex, Pneumonia, Bronchiolitis, Asthma, Heart Failure).…
Currently, in the Northern Hemisphere, it is cold (Yes, I know my cold intolerance has been worsening as my hair gets more grey… but objectively, it is freezing!). The time of year certainly affects what conditions we must consider when…
We all can take things for granted. Certainly I do all of the time: like Gravity, or that a post-menarche female will have a urinary pregnancy test done, or that the kid with altered mental status will have a finger…
Keeping children calm and cooperative is part of our job and often leads us to using fancy medicines like Ketamine and Nitrous Oxide. Of course, it is important to have a patient safely sedated during a minor procedure like Lumbar Puncture,…
Managing injuries is all too common when caring for children. Whether it is a Fish Hook where it shouldn’t be or a Tongue Laceration or whether it is Mandibular Fracture or a Facial Laceration, anticipating and managing the child’s pain is critical!…
Substance abuse is not only an adult patient problem. Alcohol and illegal drug abuse, unfortunately, also afflicts our pediatric population too. While many of us are accustomed to dealing with the ramifications of such substance abuse in our patients, teenagers…
Respiratory Distress is a common emergent complaint encountered when caring for children. Whether it is Out of Control Asthma or Pneumonia, or Severe Croup or Aspirated Foreign Bodies, or Bronchiolitis or Heart Failure, or Spontaneous Pneumothorax or Traumatic Pneumothorax … (goodness, that is a…
When managing critically ill adults or even adults with “odd complaints,” we often think of the thyroid gland and its potential disorders. The same ease of contemplation when dealing with a child is not as effortless, but there are occasions…
