Community Pediatrics Flashcards
Updating since 18/04/2024
EPI BULLETS
- ~ 30 % of homes in Canada are inadequate
- 1 /7 Canadian Children live in Poverty
- In 2006, 2/3 of Indigenous community water sources were contaminated, in 2011 > 1800 indigenous homes had no electricity or running water
- Nunavut has the highest inadequate housing rate (36.5 %); followed by Ontario and BC because of Toronto/Vancouver’s housing costs.
- From 2005 to 2009, the number of children with inadequate housing increased by 50 %
- Canadabenefits.gc.ca can help families access funds
Define Insomnia
Inadequate volume and quality of sleep with negative impact on daytime functioning. In children this manifests with:
- Depressive symptoms
- Anxious symptoms
- Irritability
- Poor school performance/attention
Define Primary Nocturnal Enuresis
Age innapropriate noctural urinary incontinence (2+ times per week) for > 6 months when the patient has never been dry before.
Secondary nocturnal enuresis is a resurgence of the incontinence, and likely is secondary to an underlying pathology.
What are the CPS’ concerns with poor literacy ?
- Poor adherence/execution of prescriptions
- Poor understanding of own/others’ medical conditions
- Formula/Supplement preparation for children
- Poor follow-through with safety recommendations
- Diminished livelihood potential
What is your approach to your first evaluation of a child in foster care?
All children that enter foster care MUST have a medical evaluation within 24 h of placement.
- Review of medical files available, and submit requests from previous healthcare workers regarding file. This is the duty of Social Worker assigned to the case.
- Review vaccination schedule, supplement accordingly
- Routine History and Physical
- Directly Address hygiene, dental care and previous housing
- HEADSS is a good summary for every age
- Developmental history and assess for previous medications that may have been missed in transfer
- Arrange follow-up ~30 days after placement has occured to screen for adjustment disorders.
The CPS dictates you cover these points in these interviews.
What are the three criteria to declare housing unacceptable?
What criteria need to be met to be considered for Core Housing?
- Shelter cost is > 30 % of household income***
- Overcrowded
- Needs major repairs
***To be considered in need for core housing, this criteria must be met
CPS also considers the following as being unacceptable housing conditions:
- Infestations (bed bugs, rats, cockroaches)
- Air/Water compromise
- Unsafe neighbourhood
- Inaccessible for resident disabilities
- >3 moves in a child’s lifetime
Define positional plagiocephaly
Flattening of the occiput secondary to a post-natal external deforming force, identified as sleeping position. The sutures MUST be open, otherwise the diagnosis shifts to craniosynostosis and other cranial anomalies.
Peaks at 4 months old
Which conditions require DVT prophylaxis for air travel ?
- Thrombophilia disorders
- Active malignancy
- Major surgery within 6 weeks
- Previous thrombotic embolism
Patient will be managed with ASA or LMWH as per hematology
Describe the process for managing a feeding tube with air travel
- Board the plane
- Stop active feed
- Flush with water
- Cap and check for air bubbles
- TAKE OFF ! weeeeeeee
- Uncap and resume feed
- Repeat for descent, when descent is announced
Give 3 characteristics of proper potty training regimen
The CPS suggests the following characteristics:
- Consistent between cargivers
- Vigilance
- Positive reinforcement
- No material rewards
- No shaming
- Facilitate return to diapers if needed
(Should a child become discouraged or start to develop any signs of aversion, a break from training for 3-6 months will slow reintroduction is suggested to avoid behavioural constipation)
What is the “Reach Out and Read” method proposed by the AAP (and accepted by the CPS) ?
The “Reach out and Read” approach is a series of steps to promote literacy in your office. Take the following steps:
- Age/culturally diverse reading materials in waiting room
- Provide parents with an age appropraite book at each visit
- Discuss reading to their children at each visit
The ROR in american studies increased 4-10 times the likelihood of parents engaging pro-literacy practices at home. It also significantly improved standardized testing for the children in question in longtitudinal follow-ups.
If there are NO nitrites, leukocyte esterase activity, microscopic WBCs or microscopic bacteria on a urinalysis/microscopy
What are the chances this situation is a UTI?
< 1 %
The sensitivity of these tests goes up to 99.8 % when all 4 are present, but the specificity is still only 70 %. In any case, this assessment will require a culture.
Define the following sleep terms:
- Sleep Latency
- Sleep duration
- Waking Events
Latency - the delay from when the patient assumes the “in bed” position and when they fall asleep. This is a key measurement for assessing Delayed Sleep Phase disorders. Normally ~ 30 minutes
Duration - sum of time a patient sleeps in the night
Waking Events - number of times a patient awakes in the evening and has to repeat the sequence of falling asleep.
List 3 behavioural interventions to optimize pain/distress with procedures
- Distraction tactics (child life, stickers/murals in rooms, tablets/TV ,sing)
- Deep Breathing with the child
- Explain to the child (> 4 y.o.) the procedure
DO NOT SAY IT WON’T HURT OR IT IS THE LAST POKE
What is the FiO2 in an aircraft whilst it is in flight
About 15 % FiO2
EPI BULLETS
- About 8 % of febrile illnesses are diagnosed as UTI
- Rates are 20.7 % for uncircumcised vs. 2.4 % in circumcised boys < 3 months old, and 7.5 % vs. 0.3 % in respective 6 - 12 month olds.
What is the management for “Nursing Strikes”, in the context of babies breastfeeding ?
Nursing strikes are a new onset refusal to sufficiently feed in the absence of organic disease, for a previously well feeding child. The most common reason is external stimulation/stressors.
CPS suggests:
- Evaluate Mother’s diet and remove possible irritants
- Reflect on stressors within the home
- Optimize the experience of breastfeeding; create a cozy focused on baby space (quiet, warm, attentive etc.)
At what age is the typical child physiologically capable of potty training?
18 months
At this age the child should be physiologically capable of potty training. Expectations prior to this age are unfair, and should be discouraged (although it is not impossible).
What are the general iron and cobalamin needs for a vegetarian relative to a typical diet ?
Iron requirements are 1.8x that of a non-vegetarian This is because the iron consumed is not in an optimal valency, also compounds in veggies called phytates/tannins sequester the iron from absorption
Cobalamin (Vit. B12) 5-10 ug/day split TID is required, This can be accessed through supplements, fortified foods and/or eggs. High folate diets (i.e. vegetarians) can mask a B12 deficiency but still have developmental deficits.
What are the decibel thresholds for defining normal vs. mild, moderate, severe and profound hearing loss ?
The decibel threshold is the minimal amount of sounds needed for function, so quieter (lower) is better.
- Normal : 0 - 20 dB
- Mild: 20 - 40 dB [Missed by newborn screening]
- Mod: 40 - 60 dB
- Severe: 60 - 80 dB
- Profound: > 80 dB
What are the risk factors for congenital/neonatal hearing loss ?
Intrinsic
- Family History of permanent hearing loss
- Craniofacial malformations
- Syndromic dysmorphisms
Acquired
- Congenital/Perinatal Infections
- NICU stay > 2 days (noise damage)
- Large Magnitude of Illness (ECMO, Intubation, Sepsis, Meningitis, acute hyperbilirubinemia encephalopathy, prematurity)
How does one assess if a shoe is properly fitting a child?
- Thumbs width between the tip of the shoe and the child’s big toe
- When the sides are squeezed, a ruffle in the middle of the material is formed
- The child says they are comfortable
Archeological studies dating back 10,000 years have demonstrated that pedal deformations correlate with use of poor shoe quality.
EPI BULLETS
- SIDS accounts for 5 % of all infant deaths and 17.2 % of all post-natal deaths
- Risk Factors for SIDS include:
- Indigenous (Inuit, Metis, First Nations)
- Low birth weight
- Low Socio-economic standing
- Prematurity
What is the best evidence based advice for introduction of allergens for infants ?
- NO benefit (but possible harm) in delayed exposure
- Introduction of appropriate allergens* at 4 months yields good allergic outcomes, without adverse events
- Maternal evasion during pregnancy and breastfeeding does NOT change allergy outcomes.
*By appropriate I mean macerated to a consistency/modality that is developmentally appropriate for a 4 months old to seek out and sample. The child is ready for solids, when they demonstrate interest - refer to feeding development.


