Blunt head trauma in the pediatric patient is a common presentation to emergency departments. Clinical decision rules such as the PECARN rule (Lancet. 2009, PubMed ID: 19758692), CATCH rule (CMAJ 2010, PubMed ID: 20142371) and CHALICE rule (Arch Dis Child 2006, PubMed ID: 17056862) have identified predictor variables for traumatic brain injury on CT (TBI CT) and clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI).
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Syncope accounts for a high number of hospital visits yearly and is associated with significant cost. Various syncope decision tools can help clinicians decide which patients are safe to discharge home when no serious cause is identified in the emergency department (ED). However, clinicians have been left without an equivalent of a HEART score (in the case of patients undergoing an ED workup for ACS) to help guide a disposition for patients presenting to the ED with syncope.
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Pediatric cervical spine injuries (CSI) are rare (1-2%) after blunt trauma. Decision rules to identify adults at low risk of cervical spine injury have been developed (NEXUS criteria (Hoffman, NEJM 2000, PMID: 10891516), Canadian C-spine rule (Stiell, JAMA 2001, PMID: 11597285)). A pediatric rule was developed as a subset of the Nexus study (Vicellio, Pediatrics 2001,
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Oxygenation is particularly important in children undergoing endotracheal intubation. They have higher oxygen consumption than adults and become hypoxemic more quickly with rapid sequence intubation. Apneic oxygenation (AO) is the process of providing a high flow rate of oxygen through a standard nasal cannula prior to endotracheal intubation (ETI) without bag-valve mask ventilation. It is thought that the high flow rate results in nitrogen washout (replacing nitrogen with oxygen) which provides an oxygen reservoir as well as provides some degree of positive end expiratory pressure keeping airways open.
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Status epilepticus is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Benzodiazepines are recommended as first line agents but their efficacy is approximately 50%. The most commonly recommended 2nd line agents are Phenytoin and Fosphenytoin. Their use is associated with an efficacy of approximately 50%. In addition, their use is associated with significant adverse events. Levetiracetam (Keppra) had been proven efficacious in small case series,
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Pain is typically under-treated in children. Intranasal administration of analgesics has the benefits of rapid, needleless administration and a more rapid onset compared to oral administration. Ketamine is used frequently by the intravenous or intramuscular route for procedural sedation due to its efficacy and safety.
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The evaluation and management of febrile neonates remains controversial. Approximately, 10% of these patients will have a serious bacterial infection (SBI). Identification of the febrile neonate at low risk for serious bacterial infection could allow for a reduction in the rates of lumbar puncture, unnecessary antibiotics and hospital admission. The approach to these patients should evolve as the epidemiology changes and new diagnostic tests become available.
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Imaging is one of the most important diagnostic modalities that physicians utilize. In 2013 alone, over 70 million CT scans were performed. Contrast-enhanced imaging can aid in diagnosing certain pathology and improve image quality. There has historically been a concern for post-contrast acute kidney injury (AKI), which is generally considered an increase in creatinine or a decrease in glomerular filtration rate hours to days after contrast administration.
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