Exam 2: Respiratory Flashcards
Upper Respiratory Tract
Nose, pharynx, trachea (epiglottis and larynx)
Lower Respiratory Tract
Bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli
Anatomical Differences of Children’s Respiratory Tracts (3)
- Diameter of airway is smaller
- Distance between structures within the tract is shorter (so organisms move more rapidly down the respiratory tract)
- Bifurcation of trachea is shorter
Signs of Respiratory Distress in Children (8)
- Nasal flaring/use of accessory muscles
- Retractions
- Tachypnea
- Labored and shallow breathing
- Color changes (lips may turn blue)
- Grunting
- Stridor (high pitched)
- May have breath sounds such as crackles, wheezing, rhonchi, or if very severe, may not even hear breath sounds
Retractions (with upper and lower infections)
Indentation/sucking in of the ribs when the child breaths
Upper respiratory infections: retractions will occur in supra clavicular and supra sternal area
Lower respiratory infections: retractions will occur in intercostal, sub sternal, sub costal
Wheezing
Initially occurs on expiration
*Difficult to hear, need to prolong the expiratory phase by having child blow on cotton ball or blow on a tissue
*Later in the illness they will have it on inhalation
Rhonchi
Sounds like snoring; it is a course breath sound
Eustachian Tube in Children
- Eustachian Tube is shorter and more horizontal
* it is easier for stuff to drain into nasal pharynx or easier for secretions in nasal pharynx to go back into the ear (makes ear infections occur more frequently in children) - Anything that decreases the ability of the Eustachian tube to drain secretions that can build up in the middle of the ear can cause otitis media
When is otitis media most prevalent?
6 months to 2 years, then it gradually decreases with slight increase when entering school
*Most prevalent disease of early childhood
Things that can cause inflammation inside the Eustachian tube (4)
- Sleeping with a bottle (bottle fed babies have higher incidence of otitis media than breast fed)
- Infection (bacteria causing inflammation inside the tube so it doesn’t drain)
- Allergies
- Tobacco smoke (living in a household with tobacco smoke increases incidence; secretions don’t drain and then they get infected)
* these will decrease the ability to drain the Eustachian tube
Things that compress the Eustachian tube (2)
- Swollen tonsils
- Tumor
* causes an impact on draining abilities
Bacteria/Infections that can lead to otitis media (3)
- Streptococcus pneumonia
- Haemophilus Influenza
- Moraxella catarrhalis
* these all call inflammation, reducing draining abilities
Feeding techniques and otitis media
Bottle fed babies are totally flat in supine position, and if they regurgitate then the formula can go into the nasal pharynx and into their middle ear and cause infection
*Also, breastmilk has IgA in it which helps decrease incidence of infection (IgA not in formula)
Clinical Manifestations of Otitis Media (7)
- Irritable
- Fever (can go up to ~104 degrees)
- Lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes)
- Rhonnorhea (clear nasal discharge; shouldn’t be green!)
- Loss of appetite (hurts to suck and swallow)
- V/D
- May be grabbing their ear or pulling on it (indicates ear infection since some other symptoms are non-specific)
Otoscope view of otitis media
- Intact membrane, bright red and bulging
- No landmarks visible
- No light reflex visible
- Check for mobility of tympanic membrane (chronic otitis media reduces mobility due to scar tissue formation, this will also affect hearing)
Otoscope view of chronic otitis media (3)
- Reduced mobility of tympanic membrane
- Need to do auditory test
- Tympanic membrane could be perforated
* Will cause changes in hearing and then maybe in their speech due to scarring
Perforated tympanic membrane
Fever will go down, there will be discharge on the pillow, they will be less irritable
Diagnosis of Acute Otitis Media
Requires:
- A history of acute onset of signs and symptoms
- Presence of middle ear effusion (MEE)
- Bulging of TM
- Limited or absent mobility of TM
- Air fluid level behind TM
- Otorrhea
- Signs and symptoms of middle-ear inflammation
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES SO THAT YOU DON’T OVERPRESCRIBE ANTIBIOTICS
Recommended Treatment for Acute Otitis Media for younger than 6 months old
Administer antibiotics to all children younger than 6 months no matter the degree of the diagnostic criteria
Recommended Treatment for Acute Otitis Media For children 6 months-2 years,
Antibacterial therapy is recommended when the diagnosis of AOM is certain or if the diagnosis is uncertain but illness is severe (fever= 102.2 and severe pain or above in past 24 hours)
Observation is recommended if diagnosis is uncertain and symptoms are not severe
*Antibiotics should be prescribed when no improvement occurs after 48-72 hours observation
Recommended Treatment for Acute Otitis Media For children over 2 years old
Antibacterial therapy is recommended when symptoms are severe
Observation is recommended for non-severe illness and uncertain diagnosis
*Antibiotics should be prescribed when no improvement occurs after 48-72 hours observation
Otitis Media PO Antibiotics
Amoxicillin is first line treatment
*If it doesn’t work, there are guidelines for what else to progress to
Otitis media IM antibiotics
Use if concerned about compliance or if child has poor absorption of drug due to diarrhea or vomiting
*Most commonly prescribed: Rocephin
~Very unpleasant
~Risk of getting sterile abscess
Otitis Media Treatment for Discomfort (2)
- Analgesics/antipyretics –> always take temp. before administering
- Warm soaks
Vaccines for Otitis Media
Hib and Prevnar
Hib: for influenza
Prevnar: for pneumococcal infection
Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion Signs and Symptoms (4)
- Fluid persists in the middle ear for weeks-months but it’s not infected
- the ear looks fine but you may see fluid/bubbles; can see bony prominences and other landmarks
- Mild to moderate hearing loss
- No complaints of severe pain, but complains of fullness or ear popping sensation during swallowing
Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion Treatment
Myringotomy (ventilating tube put in during surgery) if fluid persists for more than 3 months and is associated with hearing loss
BENADRYL AND OTHER ANTIHISTMAINES IS NOT AN ADEQUATE TREATMENT FOR KIDS!
Myringotomy criteria (3)
- Three or more episodes of OM in a 6 month period OR 4 episodes during a 1 year period
- Bilateral OME that has been unresponsive to non-surgical therapy for three months or more
- An associated hearing loss
Myringotomy
Ventilation tube to treat chronic otitis media; tube allows for drainage of fluid to go into the nasal pharynx
- Stays in for ~6 months (could be up to a year) then falls out on its own
- Wax may help bring it out, and if it doesn’t come out it will need to be removed
Myringotomy Parent Teaching (2)
- Don’t go swimming/avoid water in the ear
2. Get wax earplugs for when the child showers or gets wet