Gastrointestinal/abdominal Flashcards
What’s the management for constipation with soiling?
- Osmotic laxatives - movicol (can use stimulants once stools are soft) for ~2 weeks
- Keep stools soft through diet/laxatives for a further 3-6 months - encourage daily bowel movements
Why do preterms <34 weeks require NG tube/TPN?
They have no suck/swallow reflex
Why do babies lose weight in the first couple weeks of life?
They use up there liver glycogen stores - should lose around 5-7% of their birth weight. Worrying if still under birth weight at 2 weeks.
What are the benefits of breastfeeding?
Lower incidence of SIDS, NEC, IDDM and GI infection Contraceptive effect Cheaper Improves cognitive development Assists attachment
What are the cons of breastfeeding?
Can transit maternal infections (CMV and HIV)
Can transmit medications and metabolites e.g. anti-epileptics
Only mum can feed the baby
Can become vit A/D deficient if solely breastfed for >1yr
Inaccurate volumes of feed
Whats the recommended time to start weaning?
6 months
What might indicate an infant is suffering from gastro-oesophageal reflux?
Vomiting +/- aspiration FTT Irritability and anorexia Opisthotonos (arching of back) apnoeas
When should pharmaceutical therapy be offered in an infant with GOR? what should be offered?
When GOR occurs with one of the following:
FTT
Distressed behaviour
Unexplained feeding difficulties e.g. food refusal
4 week trial of PPI or H2 antagonist should be offered e.g. ranitidine
What is rumination?
Chronic regurgitation
What are worrying features in a vomiting child?
Bilious vomit Blood stained vomit Drowsiness Food refusal Malnutrition and dehydration
How would you check the hydration status of a infant?
Skin turgor - pinch skin - skin folds persist in dehydrated child (>2secs in severe dehydration)
Sunken fontanelle and eyes
Dry mucous membranes
Sleepy/lethargic indicates severe dehydration
Decreased UO
What is the usual cause of blood stained diarrhoea in a child with gastroenteritis?
Camplylobacter or E. coli
When should antibiotics be given to treat gastroenteritis?
When the child has been abroad or there is extra-intestinal involvement/septicaemia
Outline fluid management in a child with gastroenteritis
Continue breast-feeding
Encourage fluid intake - can use ORS if clinically dehydrated
If severely dehydrated - IV fluids
NICE fluid challenge: 50mls/kg in 4 hours - send home if obs normal
Saftey-netting:
- if they are not waking properly inbetween sleeps
- fi they are not urinating/drinking >50% o normal
- fitting
When would you do further investigations (stool sample, bloods) in a child with gastroenteritis?
When the child has been abroad Immunocompromised Acutely unwell/septic Blood and mucus in stools Diarrhoea persists >7days
Acute causes of abdominal pain in children?
Appendicitis Gastroenteritis Malrotation/volvulus Intersusseption UTI Testicular torsion HSP Hirschsprung's Dysmenorrhoea Poor localisation of pain e.g. pneumonia Abdominal migraine
What is RAP?
Recurrent abdominal pain - present continuously, or occurring at least on a weekly basis when intermittent, for a minimum period of two months - normally in the peri-umbilical area
Particularly important features of acute appendicitis?
Anorexia and a great reluctance to move (due to pain)
Essential investigations in acute appendicitis?
FBC, U+Es and urea
What is the pathophysiology of coeliac’s?
Body creates antibodies to gliadin (gluten) –> billi destruction –> villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia and malabsorption
What stool presentation would fit wit coeliac’s?q
Steatorrhoea and foul smelling
Presentation of coeliac’s in child <2yrs?
FTT, irritability, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhoea
Abdominal distention, buttock wasting, pallor
Why should coeliac’s patients be offered the pneumococcal vaccine?
May have a degree of functional hyposplenism
What type of inguinal hernia is more common in children and why is this so?
Indirect hernias (through the deep inguinal ring) - patent processus vaginalis
When would emergency surgery be required for inguinal hernia repair?
When the hernia becomes irreducible and incarcerated - risk of bowel obstruction and ischaemia as the blood supply is cut off (strangulation)
NB. in first few months of life this is much more likely so inguinal hernias should always be surgically repaired as a matter of urgency for this age group
What is the pathophysiology of intussusception?
Immature gut = increased no. of peyer’s patches and immature gut flora –> (infection - gastroenteritis/URTI) –> inflammed peyer’s patches become lead point of invagination (usually at oleo-caecal junction) and bowel wall distends –> cuts off venous return –> congestion –> oedema and bleeding –> redcurrent jelly stool