CM- Pediatric Respiratory Disorders Flashcards
What 3 main factors determine the phenotype/presentation of URT and LRT infections in children?
- site of maximal inflammation (type of pathogen)
- age of child
- presence of co-morbidities (asthma, etc)
What is the inciting factor most commonly associated children with:
- croup
- brochiolitis
- exacerbations of asthma
- parainfluenza
- RSV
- rhinovirus
What is the peak incidence of age for laryngotracheobronchitis?
When does it usually occur seasonally?
What is the usual causative factor?
7 to 36 months (affects mainly toddlers)
It occurs in the fall and is due to parainfluenza virus 1.
A 2 year old presents with hoarseness, seal-like cough and stridor. You inspect their upper airway and notice erythema and swelling of the lateral walls of the trachea just below the vocal cords. The child does not appear toxic and has a low grade fever. You do a CXR and notice suglittic narrowing (steeple sign). What is the likely disease and causative organism?
Viral croup- parainfluenza
How does onset/prodrome differ for bacterial tracheitis and viral croup?
Viral- mimics a cold with nasal irritation, cough, coryza and fever within the first 24 hours. URI symptoms develop in 48 hours
Bacterial - URI followed by progression to high fever cough, respiratory distress and stridor
How do symptoms and presentation differ between viral croup and bacterial tracheitis?
Who LOOKS sicker?
Who has a higher fever?
Viral - hoarseness, barking cough, stridor (best heard over neck with clear lung fields). NON-TOXIC looking, low grade fever
Bacterial - hoarseness, barking cough, stridor (best heard on ascultation with clear lung fields. TOXIC appearing, high grade fever
How do the radiographic findings of viral croup and bacteria tracheitis differ?
Viral croup- narrowing subglottis -= steeple sign
Bacterial - subglottis narrowing, soft tissue densities in trachea (seen on lateral view)
What are the causative agents of viral croup? Bacterial tracheitis?
List from most to least common.
V = parainfluenza, influenza, RSV, adenovirus, rhinovirus
B = S. aureus, GABHS, S. pneumonia
A child comes in with a high fever looking very ill. The mother says he had a URI last week and now he is getting a fever, cough and sounds like he is sucking in air when he breaths in. On physical exam, you note a seal like cough and stridor. What is the most likely disease and what is the causative organism?
Bacterial tracheitis- s. aureus
A toddler presents with stridor but has had no prior URI or fever. The mother says it started when the babysitter was there. What is the most likely cause of stridor?
Aspiration of foreign object
A toddler presents with stridor. He does NOT have a cough. He is in a tripod position with his chin pushed out and he is drooling. The mother claims he hasn’t had any immunizations because she doesn’t want him to get autism. What is the likely disease and likely cause?
epiglottitis caused by H. infleunza type B
vaccine has decreased incidence of this by a lot, but the child is un-immunized
A child presents with occassional barking cough, no audible stridor at rest and minimal retractions. What is the severity of the croup? What is treatment?
Mild croup- treat with supportive care at home with the warning to get medical help if it worsens to stridor at rest or respiratory distress.
Treatment: humidified air, potentially corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and cell damage
A child presents with frequent barking cough, audible stridor at rest, and chest retractions but no aggitation. What is the severity of the croup?
What is treatment?
Moderate croup
Treatment:
1. dexamethasone (steroid) with 4 hour observation to make sure there is no rebound
2. racemic epinephrine nebulizer
If a second epi nebulizer is required or there is persistent respiratory distress, admit.
A child presents with frequent barking cougn, audible stridor at rest, retractions and irritation. What is the severity of the croup and what is treatment?
Severe Treatment: 1. admit to hospital 2. steroids, racemic epi nebulizer every 2 hours 3. oxygen as needed (hypoxemic)
If no improvement is noted, consider helium/o2 mix or intubation
A child presents with frequent barking cough, stridor at rest, retractions, agitation, and they have a lethargic, dusky appearance. What stage of croup is this?
impending respiratory failure
What is the cause of whooping cough?
What are the features of the causative agent?
What age group is most affected?
Who has the highest rate of severe complications?
Bordatella pertussis-
fimbriated G- rods that have pertussis toxin as a virulence factor.
It has variable contagiousness (isolated cases, daycare outbreaks, epidemics) and affects ALL AGES.
Infants have the highest rate of serious complications, hospitalization and death.
What does the CDC recommend to protect infants from developing whooping cough from caretakers/housemembers?
Cocooning- give Tdap vaccine to everyone in close contact with the baby
What are the 3 stages of a pertussis infection?
What symptoms present in each stage?
Which stage is the contagious stage?
- Catarrhal phase (most contagious) : rhinitis, mild cough
- paroxysmal phase: coughing spells (to RV then whoop to get air back in or if you are a baby, cough to RV then go apneic)
- convalescent stage - waning symptoms “100 day cough”