Common symptoms in Children

Question 1

MENINGITIS

What is Meningitis?

What are symptoms?

Answer 1

inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and the spinal cord

Fever
cold hands and feet
vomiting
seizures
rash or blotchy, mottled and pale skin
rapid breathing
Babies with high pitched cry
joint and muscle pain

Question 2

FEVER IN CHILDREN

What are red flag symptoms?
What is the grace period?

Answer 2

Neck stiffness
Non blanching rash
fits/seizures
child is bothered by light
pale, botchy, blue/grey skin
Breathing difficulty

Generally self-limiting but the temperature should go down after three or four days.

Question 3

INFANTILE COLIC

What is it?

What are symptoms?

Answer 3

Repeated excessive episode and inconsolable crying in an infant who otherwise is thriving and healthy. Baby may have colic if they cry more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for at least 1 week.

Crying in the afternoon and evening
Baby cannot be comforted
Red and flushed in the face
Clenching first and arching back

Question 4

INFANTILE COLIC

What are referral symptoms?

Answer 4

High temperature but cold hands and feet
Rapid breathing/ panting
Hard to wake up or appearing disorientated
Green vomit

Question 5

INFANTILE COLIC/ trapped wind:

What is treatment for both?

Answer 5

Simeticone

Baby massage
taking baby for a drive

Question 6

TEETHING

What is it?

Answer 6

A process in which deciduous teeth emerge through gums
Ages 3 months to 3 years

Question 7

TEETHING

What are symptoms?

Answer 7

Normally occur 3-5 days prior
their gum is sore and red where the tooth is coming through
they have a mild temperature of less than 38C
1 flushed cheek
a rash on their face
rubbing their ear
dribbling more than usual
gnawing and chewing on things a lot
more fretful than usual
not sleeping very well

Question 8

TEETHING

What are treatment options?

Answer 8

Anbesol teething gel
teething rings that are cooled in the fridge

Question 9

NAPPY RASH
What is it?

What causes it?

Answer 9

It is irritant contact dermatitis confined to the nappy area. Nappies cause the skin to become waterlogged and fragile and hold irritant substances in place, resulting in irritation and inflammation.

Prolonged contact of urine and faeces with skin or irritant effects of soaps/detergents/bubble baths

Question 10

NAPPY RASH
What can it commonly lead to and How is this treated?

Answer 10

Colonisation with Candida albicans and this can be treated with miconazole/clotrimazole twice daily

Question 11

NAPPY RASH

What are treatment options? and how do they work?

Answer 11

Emollients
white soft paraffin
metanium- nappy rash ointment

These create a barrier against irritants

Question 12

HEADLICE

What age is it common in?

How can you check for lice?

Answer 12

Ages 4-11 (more common in girls)

wet-combing
presence of headline and eggs

Question 13

HEADLICE

What are treatment options?
what treatment option cannot be given in asthma?

Answer 13

Physical insecticides:
dimeticone (hedrin)
Chemical insecticides:
Malathion
Permethrin

Question 14

HEADLICE:

How do you wet comb?

How many sessions do you need to wet comb for?

Answer 14

On wet/damp hair
section hair
comb from root to tip, combing each section at a time
Wipe contents with each stroke

May take longer with longer/thicker hair

Ideally:
4 sessions over 2 weeks
on days 1,5,9 and 13

Question 15

THREADWORM

What is it?

Answer 15

Thread/pinworm-parasitic worm that infects intestines of humans seen in faeces as white cream-coloured threadlike objects up to 13mm in length

Question 16

THREADWORM

What are symptoms

Answer 16

Itchy bottom especially at night time
loss of sleep may lead to tiredness and irritability

Severe cases may include diarrhoea and vaginal itching- which may need referral.

Question 17

THREADWORM
What are treatment options?

What is non-pharmacological advice?

Answer 17

Mebendazole

Treatment should be for entire family as it is very easily transmitted.

Bath/shower with washing of the perianal area, immediately after rising will remove eggs laid during the night

Family after each visit to toilet

Question 18

THREADWORM

What are referral criteria?

Answer 18

Recent travel abroad
medication failure
children younger than 2
pregnant/breastfeeding

Question 19

ORAL THRUSH

What is it?

who is it most common in?

Answer 19

An infection of the lining of the mouth caused by yeast like organism.

Babies especially in first few weeks of life

Question 20

ORAL THRUSH

What are associated medical conditions and medication ?

What are red flag symptoms

Answer 20

Nappy rash
antibiotics-broad spectrum therapy can wipe out flora allowing yeast overgrowth

immunosuppressive-suppresses immune system which can increase risk of infection

Corticosteroids - inhaled deposited at the back of throat
avoided by rinsing with water after use or using space device

failed medication
lasts longer than a week
recurrent and persistent
babies <4 months

Question 21

ORAL THRUSH
What is the treatment option?

What else should you look out for?

Answer 21

Miconazole -daktarin
for babies being breastfed- care needs to be taken in cleaning treats and nipples
check if breasts are infected- look for cracked, itchy nipples - treat with miconazole cream.
For babies bottle fed- sterilise bottles and teats

Check for nappy rash
Both can be treated concurrently