A common theme amongst the Ped EM Morsels is remaining vigilant while maintaining a reasonable approach to the care of children. Many devastating conditions can be quite subtle in their initial presentation. Last week, a prior PEM graduate from Carolinas…
Keeping children comfortable benefits everyone! Patients have less pain and psychological trauma. Their families think you are amazing and… your procedure is easier to do when not also performing professional wrestling maneuvers. Honestly, a successful procedural sedation is one of…
Call me crazy, but discussing Measles last week got me feeling nostalgic. Mumps, Tetanus, and Chicken Pox similarly harken back to the early days… you know, when safe and reliable vaccines didn’t exist. I distinctly remember having chicken pox personally…
Part of the challenge with evaluating children is the ever present concern for an unusual emergent condition masquerading as a common condition with non-specific symptoms. It is, thus, important for us to remain vigilant for these conditions, while proceeding in…
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is terrible, and we are well versed in many of the common presentations. Pain and fever complaints dominate the majority of the encounters in the ED; however, let us not overlook the potential impact SCD has…
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…
