Child Health SAQs and SBAs Flashcards
What investigations should be considered in a well child with suspected ADHD?
none needed
Blood testing can be considered once a patient has been diagnosed with ADHD and the management plan is to start stimulant medication. The side-effects of stimulant medication can lead to leucopoenia, pancytopenia and hepatic coma, and so it can be useful to show baseline normal function (FBC, LFTs).
3 main impairments in ADHD?
Attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity
Give some screening tools that can be used in the assessment of ADHD
Conners Questionnaire
Dundee Difficult Times of the Day Scale (D- DTODS)
SNAP – IV
Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire
If this patient had a family history sudden death in a first-degree relative under 40 years of age suggesting a cardiac disease, what would you do prior to starting possible ADHD medication?
24-hour ECG tape monitoring, ECG with calculation of QTc
Blood pressure measurement
Echocardiogram
What should be monitored in a child on stimulant medication?
height, weight, pulse and BP
What clinical features suggets a bacterial cause of CAP?
Age < 2 years
Absence of rhinorrhoea
Absence of wheeze
Temperature > 38.5°C
Presence of localised pain
What features suggest severe CAP in an infant?
RR > 70/min
CRT > 2 sec
Nasal flaring
Intermittent apnoea
Grunting
Unable to feed
What features suggest severe CAP in an older child?
RR >50/min
CRT > 2 sec
Unable to complete sentences
Severe recessions
Nasal flaring
Signs of dehydration
Spot diagnosis: young infant child with acute onset cough and respiratory distress following a short coryzal prodrome (runny nose) and with clinical signs of fine crepitations audible in all areas
bronchiolitis
Evidence based tx options for bronchiolitis?
supplemental oxygen where needed (SpO2 ≤ 93%) and help with feeds/fluids (NG feeds or IV fluids).
Nebulised 3% saline may improve symptoms of mild to-moderate bronchiolitis and reduce hospital stay.
An acute onset of CAP (without a coryzal prodrome) in a toxic child suggests what?
bacterial origin
Give 3 causes of acute onset stridor
anaphylaxis
epiglottitis
inhaled foreign body
Why is epiglottitis decreasing in prevalence in the UK?
due to widespread uptake of the Hemophilus influenzae vaccine
Besides nephrotic syndrome, what can cause oedema in kids?
- Increased hydrostatic pressure from sodium and water retention – heart failure, renal failure, acute glomerulonephritis and drugs (antihypertensives).
- Increased capillary pressure from obstruction - venous obstruction, cirrhosis
- Decreased capillary oncotic pressure – protein malnutrition, protein losing enteropathy
- Lymphatic obstruction.
What baseline investigations may be done for suspected minimal change disease?
Urinalysis for blood and protein
Protein:creatinine ratio
(early morning sample if possible)
Full blood count
Electrolytes, urea and creatinine
Bone profile (including albumin)
Varicella zoster immunity status
Give 3 steps in the mx of an acutely oedematous child with nephrotic syndrome
- Admit to paeds ward
- Prescribe oral penicillin V prophylaxis to protect against pneumococcal infection
- oral prednisolone to induce remission
Give 2 recognised complications of nephrotic syndrome
Peritonitis : Depressed immunity predisposes children with NS to infections with encapsulated bacteria such as streptococcus pneumonia. Antibiotic prophylaxis and pneumococcal vaccination are recommended.
Thrombosis: hypercoagulable state due to urinary loss of antithrombin III, exaggerated by steroid therapy and increased blood viscosity from the raised haematocrit
Give the criteria for renal USS in a child with a UTI
Criteria for renal ultrasound are as follows:
- Infant <6 months old. Renal US within 6 weeks
- Atypical UTI as defined by:
* Seriously ill.
* Poor urine flow.
* Abdominal/bladder mass.
* Raised creatinine.
* Septicaemia.
* Failure to respond to antibiotics within 48 hours.
* Infection with non-E. coli organism - Recurrent UTI
How will you monitor the efficacy of a new asthma treatment in a 4 year old?
Clinic review after 6 weeks, symptom diary
spirometry and peak flow measurements are unreliable in children under 5 years old and can therefore not be used to monitor asthma management
What should you do for an asthmatic child with a new night-time cough despite previously being well-controlled?
Check concordance
Check inhaler technique
Exclude other concomitant cause of cough
Increase asthma preventer treatment
The risk factors for severe (or life-threatening) asthma are:
Previous near-fatal asthma e.g. previous ventilation or respiratory acidosis
Previous admissions for asthma, especially in the last year
Repeated ED attendance for asthma care, especially in the past year
Requiring three or more classes of asthma medication
Heavy use of SABA
Brittle asthma
A 11-year-old boy presents to ED because his urine has changed colour (now rusty like CocaCola). He has no other urinary symptoms, nor any associated fever, rash, abdominal pain or weight loss. He was previously well although did have peri-oral impetigo about 3 weeks ago. There is no family history of medical significance.
On examination the only abnormal findings are an elevated blood pressure and oedema of his feet and ankles. His urine dipstick shows 3+ of protein and 4+ of blood.
Which is the most likely diagnosis? What test would help to confirm this?
Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis
Anti-streptolysin O titre (ASOT)
What would suggest a glomerular cause of haematuria?
Red cell casts visible on urine microscopy
Rusty coloured urine - secondary to red cell damage by glomerular filtration
Raised blood pressure - as a consequence of decreased glomerular filtration and sodium and water retention.
If haematuria is associated with abdominal pain, which conditions should be considered in the differential diagnosis?
Henoch-Schonlein purpura
Nephrolithiasis: Renal stones or calculi are uncommon in children, but should be considered in those with abdominal pain, loin pain and haematuria. Renal ultrasound is the first investigation
Urinary tract infection
Define CKD in children
- Structural abnormalities of the kidney seen on imaging,
- Functional abnormalities within the kidney e.g. elevated urea or creatinine.
- Abnormal GFR (<60ml/min/1.73m2)
Give complications of CKD in children
Anaemia: due to decreased erythropoietin production by the kidneys (normocytic normochromic)
Hyperuricaemia: due to decreased urinary excretion. Raised levels are also independent risk factor for the progression of the disease
Bleeding tendency: increase in urea results in abnormal platelet adhesion and aggregation
Electrolyte abnormalities. Metabolic acidosis with low sodium and increased potassium
Intellectual impairment, Growth impairment
Cardiovascular disease. Due to the presence of dyslipidaemia and hypertension
What questionnaire can be used to assess for autism?
GARS questionnaire
What additional information might be helpful when considering a diagnosis of autism?
Family history of Autism
Parental views about a diagnosis
School report
Speech and language therapy assessment
Educational psychology assessment
What other co-morbid issues can be associated with having a diagnosis of Autism?
ADHD
Anxiety issues
Epilepsy
Learning difficulties
Sleep problems
What is the rule of 2’s for lymphadenopathy?
Investigate if:
>2 LN palpable for >2 weeks
>2cm in size
2 or more regions affected
What is the general approach to supraclavicular lymphadenopathy?
it often reflects mediastinal disease and should always prompt investigation
Lymph nodes of variable size and consistency should make you consider what?
TB
Red flags sxs with lymphadenopathy?
Fever, weight loss and night sweats with lymphadenopathy should trigger prompt referral for early biopsy