Paediatric History

Question 1

What should you ask about vomiting in a paediatric history?

Answer 1

1. Nature (projectile)? Colour (bilious/blood)?
2. In relation to feeds?
3. Worse when lying/sitting?
4. Associated symptoms?
5. What do they eat? Age of weaning?
6. Growth? Weight loss?
7. Diarrhoea? Constipation
8. Behavioural changes? Sleeping well? Drowsy?

Question 2

What should you ask about failure to thrive in a paediatric history?

Answer 2

1. Concerned about height/weight/both?
2. Always been small? Birthweight?
3. How has growth been since birth?
4. Ill/irritable? Recent/recurrent infection?
5. Wet and dry nappies? Stool (diarrhoea)?
6. Any vomiting? Abdominal pain?
7. Cough?

Question 3

What should you ask about convulsions in a paediatric history?

Answer 3

1. Before - fever? Rash? Scared/crying? Head trauma? Watching TV/video games?
2. During - duration? LoC? Shaking? Tongue biting? Incontinence? Blue/pale?
3. After - how were they?
4. Ever happened before?
5. How are they generally? Growth and development normal?

Question 4

What should you ask about developmental delay in a paediatric history (across all 4 domains)?

Answer 4

1. Gross motor - dominant hand, holding head up, sitting up, crawl, walking, bottom shuffle?
2. Vision and fine motor - following with eyes, reaching, transferring, pincer grip?
3. Hearing, speech, language - react to sounds, babble, speech?
4. Social - smile, wave bye, pretend play with others?

Question 5

What should you ask about a cough in a paediatric history?

Answer 5

1. Duration? Nature? Timing?
2. Productive? Colour?
3. Additional noises? Pain? Breathlessness?
4. Triggers? Putting things in mouth?
5. URTI - headache, rhinorrhoea, sore throat, painful ears?
6. Growing well?
7. Infectious contacts/smokers at home? Foreign travel?

Question 6

What is the acronym for social history taking in adolescents?

Answer 6

HEADSS
H - Home life
E - Education/Employment
A - Activities
D - Drugs
S - Sex
S - Suicide