Category Procedures / Tips

Pneumomediastinum

Every so often you encounter a patient that has a finding that catches you by surprise.  Like having air in places that should not have air in them.  We have discussed spontaneous pneumothorax and traumatic pneumothorax in children as well as how to…

Medication Errors

Certainly, the PedEM Morsels promote a need for vigilance!  Vigilance is required to find those troublesome conditions that masquerade as benign conditions (see Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Meningococcemia, and Neonatal Seizures for a few examples).  Vigilance, however, is not just…

Developmental Milestones in the ED

Full Disclosure: I am the proud product of Combined Emergency Medicine and Pediatric training (thank you mentors Mattu, Rogers, Winters, Carraccio et al at U of Maryland).  As such, I worked nearly equal amounts of time in the Emergency Department…

Damage Control Resuscitation

  Damage Control Resuscitation has been the hot topic to discuss in the adult trauma bays.  Naturally, this conversation has been also heard more commonly during pediatric trauma resuscitations.  What is it and does it really apply to kids?  Great…

Appendicitis Clinical Decision Rules

  Often the Ped EM Morsels discuss diagnoses that emphasize astute clinical skills and vigilance while minimizing the importance of laboratory testing.  Appendicitis is a great example of this! Many of you already know my disdain for the ubiquitous WBC…

Optimize Chest Compressions

  On occasion, I get the honor of being to “asked” to help with my daughter’s homework. It isn’t common, fortunately, as I don’t recall middle school algebra that well, but recently I was emphasizing the fact that you cannot expect…

Intranasal Analgesia

Being flexible and creative are important traits to have while working the ED.  It is also vital to always keep the end result in mind.  Pain control is always an important endpoint for us to constantly consider.  While most of us…