General Child Health Flashcards
What is the definition of a febrile convulsion?
A seizure associated with a fever in a child aged 6 months to 6 years in the absence of intracranial infection due to bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis.
What does ‘failure to thrive’ mean?
Sub-optimal weight gain in infants and toddlers
What is the Apgar score?
Used to assess condition at birth: Appearance (colour), Pulse, Grimace, Activity (i.e. tone), Respiratory effort
In necrotising enterocolitis, what are the characteristic appearances on x-ray?
Distended loops of bowel
Thickening of the bowel wall due to intramural gas
How might a baby with necrotising enterocolitis present?
Stops eating Aspirating milk Vomiting Distention of abdomen Blood in stools
What is the treatment for phenylketonuria?
Dietary restriction of phenylalanine
What are the two different types of presentation of Group B streptococcal infection?
Early onset (within 48 hours of birth) Late onset (at least 1 week after birth)
How does a late onset Group B streptococcal infection usually present?
Presents as a meningitis
How does an early onset Group B streptococcal infection usually present?
Septicaemia, respiratory distress
What are the two types of hearing impairment?
Sensorineural
Conductive
Which type of hearing loss may be present from birth, is often more severe, and may be progressive?
Sensorineural
What is the management of a child with sensorineural hearing loss?
Amplification device
Cochlear implant
What is Kawasaki disease?
A systemic vasculitis characterised by persistent fever and muco-cutaneous involvement
What is the presentation of Kawasaki Disease?
- Persistent fever for > 5 days
- Red mucous membranes
- Rash
- Non-purulent conjunctivitis
- Cervical lymphadenopathy
- Red palms or soles of feet
- Peeling of skin on fingers and toes
Why is Kawasaki disease an important disease not to miss?
It can cause coronary artery aneurysm which is devastating
What is the treatment for Kawasaki disease?
IV immunoglobulin
Aspirin
What is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia affecting children?
Supraventricular tachycardia
What is the management for supra ventricular tachycardia in children?
- Vagal stimulation by using an ice pack to generate diving reflex (a way of doing vagal stimulation in children)
- IV adenosine
- Most resolve spontaneously within 1 year
- Flecanide
- RF ablation
What is phenylketonuria?
An ‘inborn error of metabolism’ where a lack of phenylalanine hydroxylase in the liver means phenylalanine cannot be converted into tyrosine
What is the pattern of inheritance of phenylketonuria?
Autosomal recessive
What is the treatment for phenylketonuria?
Dietary restriction of phenylalanine
What is medium-chain acyl-coA dehydrogenase deficiency?
Disorder of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation
What are the red flags in a febrile child?
- Fever >38 degrees in child 39 degrees in 3-6 months
- Pale, mottled, blue appearance
- Signs of meningism e.g. reduced consciousness, neck stiffness, seizures, focal neurology, bulging fontanelle
- Bilious vomiting
- Severe dehydration
- Shock
What is the management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in infants?
- Advise parents to feed child in a more upright position
- Thickening agents to feed
- Infant Gaviscon
- Ranitidine
- Domperidone