Paediatric RESP Flashcards
What is the proper medical name for croup?
Viral laryngotracheobronchitis
At what point of the year is croup most common?
Autumn
What age group is affected by croup?
6m to 3y, peak 2y
What is the main cause of croup?
Parainfluenza
Recall 3 differentials for croup
Laryngomalacia
Acute epiglottitis
Inhaled foreign body
Recall the signs and symptoms of croup
1st = coryzal Sx
2nd = barking cough (from vocal cord impairment) + stridor
What investigations should be done for croup?
Clinical diagnosis
DO NOT EXAMINE THROAT
What additional features differentiate moderate from mild croup?
Stridor
Sternal/ intercostal recession at rest
How should croup be managed?
Westley score determines admission
Admit if RR>60, or complications
DEXAMETHOSONE TO ALL
For mild: discharge
For moderate: admit
For severe: admit and add nebulised adrenaline to dex
For impending respiratory failure: same as severe
What are the parameters of the Westley croup score?
Level of consciousness (5)
Cyanosis (5)
Stridor (2)
Air entry (2)
Retractions (3)
If a CXR is performed in croup, what signs are seen?
PA: subglottic narrowing- “steeple sign”
What is the most likely complication of croup?
Secondary bacterial superinfection
Give 2 symptoms/ signs of inhaled foreign body
Acute onset breathlessness
Focal wheeze
What may be seen on CXR if there is inhalation of a foreign body?
NORMAL: majority of FBs are radiolucent
Increased volume + translucency of affected lung (FB creates a valve- air can only enter)
What is the definitive investigation and management for an inhaled foreign body?
Bronchoscopy
What is the most common cause of acute epiglottitis?
Haemophilus influenza B (bacteria!!!!) hence is quite uncommon as vaccinated against
What are the signs and symptoms of acute epiglottitis?
Medical emergency
No cough as in croup
High-fever (‘toxic-looking’)
Stridor is soft inspiratory with high RR
“Hot potato” speech
DROOLING as child cannot swallow
Immobile, upright + open mouth: ‘tripod sign’
What sign would be seen on a lateral CXR in acute epiglottitis?
Swelling of epiglottis: Thumb sign
How should acute epiglottitis be investigated and managed?
Do not lie child down or examine their throat (may precipitate a total obstruction)
- Immediately refer to ENT, paeds + anaesthetics –> transfer + secure airway
- Once airway is secured, blood culture, empirical Abx (cefuroxime) + dexamethosone
In what age range is bronchiolitis seen?
1-9 months
3-6 month peak
What is the most common cause of bronchiolitis?
RSV in 80%
What are the signs and symptoms of bronchiolitis?
1st URTI sx: cough, rhinorrhoea, low fever
2nd = dry, wheezy cough, SOB, grunting, feeding difficulties
Give 3 key features of bronchiolitis
persistent cough
+
tachypnoea or chest recession (or both) +
wheeze or crackles on auscultation (or both).
What are the examianation findings in bronchiolitis?
To distinguish from croup/ other ‘itis’
Auscultate: fine, bi-basal, end-inspiratory crackles
When should pneumonia be suspected as a differential from bronchiolitis?
high fever (>39°C)
+/or
persistently focal crackles.
What investigations should be done in bronchiolitis?
Cinical dx but can do an NPA to confirm
If there is significant respiratory distress + fever, do a CXR to R/O pneumonia
What prompts immediate referral (999) in bronchiolitis? (5)
Apnoea
Looks seriously unwell to HCP
Severe resp. distress: grunting, marked chest recession, or RR > 70
Central cyanosis
SpO2 <90% RA or <92% if high risk/ <6w
When should referral be considered in bronchiolitis? (4)
RR >60
Clinical dehydration
Poor oral fluid intake (50-75% normal)
SpO2 < 92% on RA
What factors lower threshold for admission with bronchiolitis?
Age <3 months
Ex-preterm
Chronic lung disease
Congenital heart disease
What is the management for patients admitted with bronchiolitis?
Supportive care:
nasal O2/ head box
NG fluids/ feeds
Suction if excess secretions
CPAP if respiratory failure
Over how long is bronchiolitis self-limiting?
3 weeks
Describe the ‘spectrum’ of infant asthma
Bronchiolitis if <1y
Viral-induced wheeze (1-5y)
Asthma (>5)
Describe the wheeze in asthma
End-expiratory polyphonic
When are asthma symptoms worst?
Night/ early morning
What will be seen OE in childhood asthma?
Hyperinflated chest + accessory muscle use
Harrisson’s sulci: depressions at base of thorax where diaphragm has grown in muscular size
How should childhood asthma be diagnosed?
<5y = clinical dx
>5y = spirometry, bronchodilator reversibility, PEFR variability (2w)
What spirometry value is diagnostic of asthma?
FEV1/FVC ratio < 70%
(or below the lower limit of normal if this value is available)
Recall the PEFR range of moderate, severe, and life-threatening asthma
Moderate: 50-75%
Severe: 33-50%
Life-threatening: <33%
Give 4 features of moderate asthma attack
Able to talk in sentences
SpO2 >92%
HR <140 (in 1-5s) or HR <125 (in 5+)
RR <40 (in 1-5s) or RR <30 (in 5+)
Give 5 features of severe asthma attack
Can’t complete sentences in 1 breath
SpO2 <92%
HR >140 (in 1-5s) or HR >125 (in 5+)
RR >40 (in 1-5s) or RR >30 (in 5+)
Accessory muscle use
Give 7 features of life threatening asthma attack
SpO2 <92%
Altered consciousness/ confusion
Exhaustion
Silent chest
Hypotension
Cyanosis
Poor respiratory effort: normal pCO2
When should you admit a child with asthma?
Moderate (not responding to Tx)
Severe
Life-threatening
How should severe-life threatening paediatric asthma be managed in a hospital setting?
High flow O2 if SpO2 <94%
- Burst step
- 3 x salbutamol nebs (5mg), or up to 10 inhales on a pump
- 2 x ipratropium bromide nebs
(SE of too much = shivering, vomiting)
MgSO4 neb: Added to each neb in 1st hour if severe
Prednisolone PO
Involve seniors if burst therapy has failed to work
- IV Bolus step = 1 of the following: MgSO4, salbutamol, aminophylline
- Infusion step
- IV salbutamol/ aminophylline - Panic step
- Intubate + ventillate
How is a mild exacerbation of asthma managed?
Hosp admission not required
High flow O2 if SpO2<94%
SABA via MDI + large vol spacer: 1 puff every 30-60s (up to 10 puffs)
Prednisolone PO
For how long after an acute exacerbation of asthma should prednisolone be taken?
3d (may be longer if severe)
What is ipratropium bromide also known as? How often can this be given?
Atrovent
1m-11y: 250ug every 20-30 mins for first 2h, then every 4-6h
12-17y: 500ug every 4-6h
When can children with exacerbation of asthma be discharged? What follow up is required?
Discharge when stable on 3-4h inhaled bronchodilators PEF +/or FEV1 >75% of best or predicted + SpO2 >94%.
F/U within 48h
Recall 4 contraindicated drugs when taking beta-agonists/ salbutamol
Beta-blockers
NSAIDs
Adenosine
ACE inhibitors
Recall outpatient management of asthma in children >5
- SABA
- SABA + low dose ICS
- SABA + ICS + LTRA
- SABA + ICS + LABA
- SABA + low dose ICS MART
- SABA + mod dose ICS MART / mod ICS + LABA
- Specialist: + increase ICS to paediatric high dose / Theophylline
What common SABA is used?
Salbutamol
(Ventolin, Blue inhaler)
What common low-dose ICS’s are used in >5s?
Beclometasone
Budesonide
What common LTRA is used?
Montelukast
(leukotriene receptor antagonist)
Chewable tablet OD, in evening
What common LABAs are used?
Salmeterol
Formoterol
What common MART is used?
Budesonide with Formoterol
Which 3 features indicate that a child should go straight to SABA + ICS?
Asthma related Sx >,3x/ week
Waking at night due to asthma
Asthma not controlled by SABA alone
What is the most common cause of rhinitis?
Rhinovirus
What is rhinitis more commonly known as?
Common cold
What is the general recovery time for rhinitis?
2 weeks
What are the possible complications of rhinitis?
Otitis media
Acute sinusitis
What is sinusitis?
Infection of the maxillary sinuses from viral URTIs
May lead to a secondary bacterial infection
What are the symptoms of sinusitis?
Facial pain: typically frontal pressure pain which is worse on bending forward
Nasal discharge: thick + purulent, discoloured
Nasal obstruction
How should sinusitis be managed if symptoms lasting <10 days?
No Abx
Advise them that virus will take 2-3w to resolve
Paracetamol/ Ibuprofen for Sx relief
How should sinusitis with symptoms present for >10 days be managed?
High dose nasal corticosteroid for 14 days e.g. Mometasone
may improve Sx but is unlikely to reduce duration of illness
can cause systemic SEs
+/- back up prescription of Abx if Sx get considerably worse- Phenoxymethylpenicillin
When should a pt be admitted to hospital for sinusitis?
Severe systemic infection
Intraorbital/ periorbital problems (eg periorbital cellulitis, diplopia, displaced eyeball)
Intracranial complications e.g. features of meningitis